{"id":13258,"date":"2020-01-08T17:38:39","date_gmt":"2020-01-09T01:38:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bradblog.com\/?p=13258"},"modified":"2020-01-08T19:41:15","modified_gmt":"2020-01-09T03:41:15","slug":"all-is-well-after-iran%e2%80%99s-symbolic-revenge-attack-trump-opts-for-off-ramp-bradcast-182020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bradblog.com\/?p=13258","title":{"rendered":"‘All Is Well!’: After Iran’s Symbolic Revenge Attack Trump Opts for Off-Ramp: ‘BradCast’ 1\/8\/2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

On today’s BradCast<\/i><\/a>, while “all” is anything but “well”, it may at least be a bit<\/i> better than it was 24 hours ago at this time — at least if the backing away from the likelihood of an apocalyptic military confrontation in the Middle East serves as any gauge. [Audio link to today’s program is posted at end of summary.<\/i>]\n

Shortly after air time on Tuesday, Iran launched a 22 ballistic missile fusillade<\/a> at two Iraqi military bases housing thousands of U.S. troops in response to Donald Trump’s assassination late last week of revered Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. And shortly after that<\/i>, a Ukrainian Airliner made by Boeing fell from the sky and crashed after take off from Tehran’s airport, killing everyone on board. While it’s still early and unclear what exactly caused the disaster, some experts believe<\/a> the plane could have been attacked either accidentally or on purpose. We discuss.<\/p>\n

As to the Iranian attack on U.S. troops, thankfully there were no casualties, either American or Iraqi, as Iran announced there would be no more military reappraisals for Soleimani’s killing, so long as America does not attack the nation again. What turned out to be a largely symbolic revenge attack for domestic consumption by Iran appears to have been an act of mercy<\/a> to help deescalate a military confrontation touched off late last week by Trump that many feared had been spiraling out of control since the targeted drone strike against Soleimani.<\/p>\n

After declaring “All is well!”<\/a> on Twitter Tuesday evening, amidst the missile assault and deadly airliner crash, Trump offered mercifully brief remarks<\/a> at the White House on Wednesday morning, flanked by the Vice President and top cabinet members and military officials, to suggest he was taking the off-ramp<\/a> offered him by the grown-ups in Iran. In between several blatant lies told about the anti-nuclear pact struck with Iran and other leading nations during the Obama Administration and on other related matters, Trump promised new economic sanctions against Iran, but said the nation “appears to be standing down”, that Iran and the US should “work together” against their mutual enemy of ISIS, and that the United States is ready to embrace peace.”<\/p>\n

Whether any of that turns out to be true, given a President of the United States who lies as easily as he breathes, is anyone’s guess. But it may allow many of us to breathe a bit easier for the moment, at least until Trump’s next unnecessary self-inflicted crisis.<\/p>\n

We’re joined today by former Deputy Asst. Secretary of State<\/a> MICHAEL FUCHS<\/b>, to try and help clear up much of the confusion<\/a> and anxiety of the last 12 hours since Iran’s attack and the six days since Trump’s assassination of Soleimani. Among the questions discussed with Fuchs…<\/p>\n