No diplomats? Haitians still here?

No diplomats? Haitians still here?

Where are our diplomats?

The president’s disdain for our diplomatic corps is front and center in the Iran “negotiations.” Over 1,500 State Department officials have been fired and 30 diplomats were recalled. A survey revealed that 98 percent of foreign service members indicated low morale. So instead of sending trained diplomats to negotiate with the Iranians he sent a couple of real estate executives, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner along with JD Vance to do a deal with the Iranians. Witkoff and Kushner were Trump’s negotiators with Russia and Ukraine so they obviously have a track record as pretend diplomats. Vance is certainly anything but a diplomat but no mind since apparently no negotiations were intended. 

Iran sent two planeloads of negotiators. They included members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) perhaps to ensure that no gains made in the field were relinquished at the diplomatic table. Iran’s delegation represented the political, legal, security, economic and military factions. The chief Iranian negotiators were Ali Bagheri Kani, the deputy secretary of the supreme national security council who was the chief negotiator in previous nuclear talks, and Abbas Araghchi, the lead negotiator in 2015 and now the foreign minister. But none of the lead US negotiators was a diplomat groomed in negotiations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is certainly no diplomat but then he and the president were attending a UFC match in Miami – no doubt showing the importance of the negotiations with the Iranians. Although talks went on for 20 hours little was accomplished and Vance walked out. The Babylon Bee said that the reason nothing was settled was because the Iranian translator was sick and no one else spoke English leading the Iranians just to nod during the talks.

The president is apparently looking to make impose a deal on the Iranians rather than engage in negotiations. The reports seem to indicate that both sides were entrenched and it was “take it or leave it.” Vance said that the Americans came to see “if we could get to a situation where the Iranians were willing to accept our terms”.  They didn’t. Vance actually said that the proposals were the administration’s best and final offer indication that no negotiations were actually intended. I don’t know why they even went to Islamabad if that were the case.

Actually one wonders of Araghchi had the authority to negotiate in the first place. It was Araghchi who said that the Strait of Hormuz was open during the duration of the 10 day cease fire. The revolutionary guard leadership promptly reversed that statement saying that ships must continue paying Iran a toll, and that Iran was reserving the right to retaliate for the U.S. blockade. The US Navy promptly impounded an Iranian cargo ship imperiling future talks and the ceasefire.

What would it take for Trump to end his war? Would he settle for an opening of the strait if the Iranians promised to freeze their nuclear program? The question is for how long? Trump has repeatedly said that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. Is he still saying that? Also I presume that Trump will also have to agree to unfreeze Iranian assets and let them sell their oil on the open market. If he does that then he will be doing exactly what Obama and Biden did which was roundly criticized by Trump and the republicans.

Let’s recall Trump’s stated objectives. First, “We’re ensuring that the world’s number one sponsor of terror can NEVER obtain a nuclear weapon.” Second, destroying Iran’s missile capabilities. Three, neutralize threats to international shipping and US naval forces in the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Four, ensuring the Iranian regime cannot arm, fund, and direct terrorist armies outside their borders. And perhaps, five – regime change.

Wouldn’t it be interesting that none of these are accomplished and Iran’s assets get unfrozen and they can sell their oil? This would look like an Iranian victory. But some victory. A consequence of Trump’s war is that Iran’s economy is in shambles. Its resources have been battered. Its inflation is close to triple digits. Iran wants reparations to pay for all the damage and to help it rebuild. But that is doubtful. So the outcome of all this may just be that Iran will be too crippled to be a menace for the foreseeable future. Will that be enough?

Maybe if Iran, like Qatar, offered to build a Trump hotel with a golf course and give him a new plane, Trump would declare victory and bring our troops home.

Haitians, Part 2

The House just passed a measure to rescind the expulsion of the Haitians here under the Temporary Protective Status. All the democrats were joined by 11 republicans to reinstate temporary legal protections for the 350,000 Haitian immigrants here under the program. The program shields them from deportation and allows them to have work permits. The bill goes to the Senate and I haven’t a clue what will happen there. But I do know that if it passes, the president will veto it. You may recall that Trump has ranted and raved about the Haitians and even contended that they were eating people’s pets. There is little doubt that Trump wants them gone.