"They don't know what the hell hit them! ... They said: What the hell is happening?! Much of the world is asking the same question. While Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu starting a war with Iran can't have come as that much of a surprise globally, the far-reaching shockwaves of the war - which now involves the militaries of at least 20 nations, is triggering an unprecedented global oil crisis, and seems set to drag on for an indeterminable amount of time - clearly have."
"In his first term, the Trump doctrine manifested in his blustery but mostly unsuccessful attempts to strong-arm allies and adversaries into agreements that favored the U.S. He seemed leery of starting shooting wars (as opposed to trade wars), and he was also restrained by the professionalism and pragmatism that still prevailed in the Departments of Defense and State."
"Since returning to office last year, Trump has been unbound. The 'adults in the room' are mostly gone, replaced with loyalists, sycophants, and opportunists. He has renamed the DoD the Department of War and put a man in charge of it, Pete Hegseth, whose performative bravado so far exceeds his competence, it might as well be called the Department of Male Insecurity."
President Trump has championed a new military conflict with Iran, boasting about its success at a campaign rally. The war now involves militaries from at least 20 nations and has triggered an unprecedented global oil crisis with uncertain duration. Trump's approach represents a significant departure from his first term, when he avoided shooting wars despite his aggressive negotiating style. His current administration lacks the restraining influence of defense and state department professionals, replaced instead by loyalists and ideologues. The Department of Defense has been renamed the Department of War, with leadership prioritizing performative bravado over competence, raising concerns about the conflict's trajectory and global implications.
Read at Intelligencer
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