Trump’s New Strategy of Nothing

P resident Trump has been repeatedly stymied in his efforts to bring the Iran war to a close.

Resuming a limited bombing campaign didn’t get it done.

Neither did making apocalyptic threats to wipe out Iran’s entire civilization.

Every time Trump touts a possible breakthrough in negotiations, the hard-liners in Tehran seem to delight in changing their terms and yanking away a possible deal.

It’s like Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown, except this time, the pigskin is the Strait of Hormuz.

Nothing has worked.

So Trump’s new strategy is to try doing nothing, and see whether that works.

The president is de-emphasizing both diplomacy and military action, and instead placing his faith in economic pressure, in the hope that time can accomplish what force could not.

This wait-and-see approach is meant to allow stepped-up financial sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports to inflict economic pain.

The hope is that a return to this strategy—which was used, in spurts, earlier in the conflict and has been championed by some in the administration all along—will finally force leaders in Tehran to seriously engage in negotiations to open the strait and end the war.

But this new tack will require the president to show patience.

Trump is, to say the least, not known for his self-discipline.

Or for his ability to stick to a plan.

Or for his capacity to avoid being influenced by the last segment he saw on cable TV.