The psychopath is clueless on the meaning of "proportional response." He believes he must "one up" them. And they remain capable of exacting "an eye for an eye" with lower tech attacks on gulf neighbors and US assets.
And, the reality is that the ONLY person standing in the way of an agreement is the felon himself.
He will NEVER make the necessarily humiliating deal -- a deal he knows will paint a giant L for Loser on this forehead.
Every week that passes, it becomes clearer that he will continue to demand that his so-called "negotiators" get a "better deal" -- one that doesn't mean recommitting to Obama's treaty, shoveling 10x the amount of money at Iran that Obama did, and an "environmental fee" (i.e., toll).
Unfortunately, more competent folk than his morons wouldn't be able to craft a way out that isn't effectively a declaration of surrender and declaration that the treaty negotiated over two years by the Obama administration, which was supported by allies -- a treaty the felon ripped to shreds -- was the best deal possible. And being "better than" Obama is a grandiose fantasy that keeps his eggshell ego from complete collapse. He is incapable of accepting reality on that.
As long as his psychopathic and narcissistic defenses against reality hold, that WILL NOT happen. He'll demand a "better deal" that will never happen.
All the while, the global and domestic harms and chaos of the war will escalate.
As I've said before, this is unsustainable. A breaking point will be reached and more and more of those currently sticking by him will give up the fantasy that the war will magically be resolved "any day now."
Perhaps it will take a rout in the midterms to wake more up, but sooner or later, we are going to see groups of trumpublicans in the Senate and House who "get" that the ONLY way out is if he is gone tramping to the White House to push for a face-saving resignation for "health reasons" so J.D. can make the humiliating deal.
Crazily, even the Kalshi market seems to be getting this. I wanted to place a bet on 'No deal" before 2027 late in May, but ran into roadblocks transferring money. At the time, the probability of "no deal" was around 30%. When I finally got my account funded "No" was about 60% (Yes 42 cents/No 60 cents to win a buck if it resolves that way). I would bet on no deal before 2028, but I fully expect him to have been removed one way or another by then so J.D. can make the deal.
Not to read too much into these betting markets, but it appears I'm not the only one that "gets" the felon is incapable sucking up the loss to end the damage his criminal war is doing.
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