AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): David Des Roches, a former Pentagon official, stated in an interview with Al Jazeera that Trump has been oscillating in recent days between a desire to negotiate with Iran and threatening to destroy the country; this approach indicates a lack of a consistent policy direction.
According to this military analyst, Iran's behavior in these circumstances is predictable and based on logic. He stated, "Iran's behavior shows that it is reacting like any rational actor."
Des Roches then pointed to one of the key challenges facing the U.S. government, saying that what has driven Trump "to extreme desperation" is the nature of Iran's response, a retaliatory response directed at regional countries.
He explained that this type of response complicates the traditional equations of deterrence and retaliation, as the United States has more limited tools for effective reaction against attacks that do not directly target its forces.
This former Pentagon official emphasized that this "limitation in response capability" is one of the main factors behind the confusion and fluctuation in the U.S. president's positions, an issue that has led to contradictory messages emanating from the White House.
**************
End/ 345E
