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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices
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To: Brumar89 who wrote (1151016)7/19/2019 8:29:10 PM
From: Brumar891 Recommendation

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rdkflorida2

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Trump's retreat from a limited targeted military strike in response to Iran's downing a U.S. surveillance aircraft was probably the worst possible outcome. Had he vowed a non-military response and followed through or, since he authorized a limited military one and followed through with it, he would have demonstrated a degree of credibility. His retreat shattered his credibility.

Leaders need to be decisive during international crises. Hesitation when the world is watching is devastating to leaders' credibility and to deterrence. Tehran clearly took note of this disheartening outcome. Recent events, including today's acts of piracy, are the direct consequence of Trump's leadership failure.

When confronted by perhaps his biggest international crisis yet, the President faltered on the world stage. The historical accounts are replete with the dangers and costs associated with leadership indecision in the face of crises. The historic accounts (and literature on psychology) also demonstrate that deterrence is not possible when enemies assume that they won't be held to account for their provocations and/or acts of aggression.

No one should be surprised that deterrence was not restored following the Trump Administration's stunning retreat on the world stage. History and psychology provide tremendous insight to the objective reader.

Now, the question is, what will the Trump Administration do now. The investment in restoring deterrence will likely be more costly than the limited military strike the President authorized then canceled.

Don Sutherland
The Trump Administration’s dramatic retreat on a limited military strike in response to Iran’s shooting down an American surveillance aircraft signaled profound weakness. Iran exploited that weakness in maintaining, if not increasing the scale of its provocations and acts of aggression. Retreat, hesitation, and weakness don’t facilitate deterrence. They undermine it. Now, it is entirely possible that a credible response sufficient to restore deterrence will need to be larger in magnitude than the limited strike Trump canceled. Otherwise, Iran will continue to conclude that it faces few or no meaningful consequences for its conduct.
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