No. of Recommendations: 4
The reason there's a difference of opinion on the war is that the first sentence doesn't necessarily follow from the second sentence. We absolutely have accomplished all the things that Trump lays out in the second sentence. Operationally, the military has achieved all of the specific tasks set out for it.
However, that does not mean we are "totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran," as Trump claims in the first sentence. That strategic goal has not been accomplished. The regime very much still exists, still controls the country, and has complete continuity with the regime that existed prior to the war.
It of course comes down to how one wants to parse Trump's statements. This board is in the mode of assuming Trump is lying and/or 100% wrong on everything he says, so in that vein, sure! No change at all on the ground, not at all!
But that's not a correct lens. The regime has been decapitated. The mullah council is gone, the top generals are gone and the new "Supreme Leader" is at best in a coma missing major body parts. You're going to immediately push back here and tell me "but the regime is still in charge!" But one needs to add additional context:
-It took 7 months of bombing to get rid of Libya
-it's only been 12 days here
-Not every move has played out yet
in Iran's case, the Basiji thugs running around on their motorcycles are keeping the citizens in line while what's left of the IRGC tries to maintain some semblance of control. The IDF is on it:
*They're bombing Iran's banking data centers, so the local gangsters aren't getting paid
*They have drones hovering over Tehran and every time they see 3 guys and a motorcycle, they get a hand grenade dropped on their heads
Now there's a Marine Expeditionary force headed to the Gulf likely with a very specific island destination in mind.
