"Now for the last question. What about the final agreement which will take all of sixty days to complete? We have seen the way Iran negotiates. We have seen the way Iran lies. We have seen the way Iran cheats. Is it possible to still catch lightening in a bottle during these final negotiations? Maybe - or are we seeing another North Korea all over again."
The MOU. The Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and the United States. It has been a while since such an important document had been under such scrutiny. Everybody seems to have some kind of "take" or opinion on this document and what it stands for. Not surprising I guess, I also have an opinion. And my opinion goes back some years.
Here is the question - did Donald Trump, Mr. "Art of the Deal", catch lightening in a bottle, or did he "TACO" out? I have an opinion it might not be either of those two. Why? I can see similarities between how he handled the North Korean issue with Kim Jong Um during his first term, and he is now dealing with Iran. Part of being a "man of peace" is having a better vision for the future - be it with North Korea or Iran.
With North Korea, a country who has hated us for decades, Trump tried to show Kim that his "Hermit Kingdom" did not need to be so. They have everything they needed to be a vibrant country just like South Korea. The nukes that Kim had would do him no good - only possibly lead to the destruction of his country. As much as Trump tried to turn this ship around, show Kim a better tomorrow, the "Hermit Kingdom" wanted none of that, and thus remains as it has been since the 1950's.
With Iran, as much as Trump wanted regime change, it was not in the cards. However, for Israel it was. The IRGC is like a cancer, has been since the 1970's. It is similar to what the Nazis were to Germany. Whereas the allies went into Europe to capture or kill any Nazi they could find (to ensure with the exception of Operation Paperclip, the Nazi cancer was eliminated), Trump has made the decision to let the IRGC remain in power. Why? Getting rid of them, like we did with the Nazis during World War II, would cost way too much of our blood and treasure. However, if we had been able to rid Iran of the IRGC, and have normal Iranians govern their country, Iran might have changed. Peace might have really and truly come back to the shire.
But here is the rub in my book. So long as we are dealing with the IRGC, we are dealing with snakes. Remember? To them, we are nothing than the "Great Satan". And our friend and ally Israel? In the eyes of the IRGC, Israel has no right to exist. None. And by the way - where is the agreement between Israel and Iran? Isreal continues to live at ground zero, well within missile range Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis.
Why did the man who always looks for the best deal, sign a document which (on the surface), appears to be lacking? (My opinion) - It is because of us and the rest of the civilized world. We did not understand what a choke hold it would be should the Strait of Hormuz be shut down. Gasoline, fertilizer for the farmers, and products which take oil to manufacture - all more expensive. Iran put their boot on the Strait, and we cried uncle. Having expensive gasoline in the summertime was a "first world problem" which we (and Europe) could stand no longer.
Now for the last question. What about the final agreement which will take all of sixty days to complete? We have seen the way Iran negotiates. We have seen the way Iran lies. We have seen the way Iran cheats. Is it possible to still catch lightening in a bottle during these final negotiations? Maybe - or are we seeing another North Korea all over again. I guess we will know in about sixty days.
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