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Miles Archer

(22,865 posts)
Sat Mar 14, 2026, 12:11 PM Saturday

Robert Reich: Trump is cornered RE Iran. Here are the four options...

Trump is cornered
Robert Reich
March 14, 2026 11:31AM ET

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-iran-2676108043/

1. He declares victory and exits the Middle East within a few days, even though the Strait of Hormuz is still blocked — hoping that Iran will unblock it to sell its own oil.

2. He unblocks the Strait of Hormuz with American warships escorting oil tankers, then he declares victory and gets out.

3. He spends the next two weeks trying to decimate what’s left of Iran’s missile and drone capacities and its navy, in the hope that everything will return to normal after Iran is neutered. Then he declares victory and gets out.

4. He gets Russia, Venezuela, and oil producer allies in the Middle East to dramatically increase production, in hopes this will reduce oil prices and contain the slide of the U.S. stock market.

12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Robert Reich: Trump is cornered RE Iran. Here are the four options... (Original Post) Miles Archer Saturday OP
Definitely will declare victory because War is Peace bucolic_frolic Saturday #1
Whatever he does will not pacify the Iranians Keepthesoulalive Saturday #2
Can give him a small window PATRICK Saturday #7
It isn't up to Trump. SamKnause Saturday #3
Trump and his goons DID NOT DO their homework Miles Archer Saturday #4
Exactly. SamKnause Saturday #5
i'm honestly hoping for #1 Takket Saturday #6
How can they "unblock" the Strait without troops on the ground? Starfury Saturday #8
Option #5: He stays in for the long term and attempts an actual "regime change." harumph Saturday #9
Scooz me. How does an escort protect a tanker from mines? Girard442 Saturday #10
Trump totally ignores Iran and moves onto his next victim Irish_Dem Saturday #11
makes sense though didn't already declare victory? Jbraybarten Saturday #12

bucolic_frolic

(54,886 posts)
1. Definitely will declare victory because War is Peace
Sat Mar 14, 2026, 12:36 PM
Saturday

Greatest victory in American history!

Gasoline will be $15 a gallon and only available once a week, but victory it will be.

Keepthesoulalive

(2,262 posts)
2. Whatever he does will not pacify the Iranians
Sat Mar 14, 2026, 12:42 PM
Saturday

We will the suffer the consequences of his ridiculous attempt to distract from the Epstein files. Because he’s a chaos agent on to Cuba.

PATRICK

(12,378 posts)
7. Can give him a small window
Sat Mar 14, 2026, 01:25 PM
Saturday

to declare peace and get out and Iran will have its hands full of its own problems. Except then...Epstein and election suppression loses its terrorist rationale. Is that Epstein card what the Iranians must keep or do they even have some of that? Do they play into Trump's losing hand by gifting some domestic terrorism?

SamKnause

(14,875 posts)
3. It isn't up to Trump.
Sat Mar 14, 2026, 01:01 PM
Saturday

He might quit, but I don't think Iran is in the mood for quitting.

He fucked with them 1 too many times.

Iran planned for this.

MAGA dick and his little pricks didn't.

Miles Archer

(22,865 posts)
4. Trump and his goons DID NOT DO their homework
Sat Mar 14, 2026, 01:04 PM
Saturday

They convinced themselves that some kind of B.S. toxic male shock & awe bravado would win the day. They were wrong.

Takket

(23,674 posts)
6. i'm honestly hoping for #1
Sat Mar 14, 2026, 01:07 PM
Saturday

because too many troops have already died for nothing. we don't need to spend any more money or lives on this debacle.

Starfury

(860 posts)
8. How can they "unblock" the Strait without troops on the ground?
Sat Mar 14, 2026, 01:36 PM
Saturday

We'd have to clear out places like Bandar Abbas, the islands in the Strait, etc. Plus, we don't have the navy available to conduct escort operations through the Strait, anyway.

Besides, Iran has a thousand miles of coast line. Iran isn't just threatening ships in the Strait. They can threaten ports and shipping throughout the entire Gulf. If we did have the naval escorts available, they'd be under constant threat the entire time. And that's before considering the potential of the Gulf being mined.

This stupid war is an epic self-own that's only just starting.

harumph

(3,220 posts)
9. Option #5: He stays in for the long term and attempts an actual "regime change."
Sat Mar 14, 2026, 01:46 PM
Saturday

Of course this will mean boots on the ground and an economic depression, but our supine R - controlled congress will go along.
He's already sending marines (7th fleet) and an amphibious assault ship. This will break our economy and it'll be a fire sale of public
assets for the ultra wealthy.

Girard442

(6,879 posts)
10. Scooz me. How does an escort protect a tanker from mines?
Sat Mar 14, 2026, 01:58 PM
Saturday

Sounds like magical thinking to me.

Irish_Dem

(80,984 posts)
11. Trump totally ignores Iran and moves onto his next victim
Sat Mar 14, 2026, 02:31 PM
Saturday

Trump is an opportunistic predator and if you can’t do a smash and grab quickly, he just moves on to the next target.

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