AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): John Bolton, former White House National Security Advisor during Donald Trump's first presidential term, wrote a critical commentary on the U.S. president's performance in the war against Iran, severely rebuking him for prematurely halting attacks.
Clumsy Entry into War Without Political Annex
Bolton wrote in this commentary that Trump launched attacks against Iran without any prior preparation or explanation to the American public, Congress, or global allies.
Fear of Repeating the "Obama Deal"
The former U.S. National Security Advisor emphasized that Trump is trapped in a dilemma: on one hand, he thirsts for an agreement he can label a "victory," and on the other hand, he is terrified of signing a deal similar to the JCPOA (like Obama) and being criticized.
According to Bolton, this wavering has led Iran to give a "completely unacceptable" response to the proposed American framework
Trump's Eden-esque Mistake
Bolton uses the Suez Canal crisis (1956) to critique Trump, when British Prime Minister Anthony Eden launched a military attack to retake the Suez Canal but, under international pressure, became frightened and ordered a halt to the war midway.
Bolton writes that this retreat led to the collapse of the British Empire and Eden's resignation.
Winston Churchill, at the time, rebuking Eden, said, "I don't know whether I would have dared to start this war; but I know this: if I had started it, I would never have dared to stop it halfway."
Bolton emphasizes that Trump now stands exactly in Eden's position: he started the war, but has now become afraid and backed down.
Global Economy's Switch in Iran's Hands
Bolton warned at the end, "If this crisis ends only through diplomacy, Iran will conclude that closing the Strait of Hormuz carries no military cost for it. In that case, Tehran can, like a 'light switch,' increase or decrease pressure on the global economy whenever it wants."
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