Trump’s team still has much to calculate and consider – Sargsyan

The U.S. armed forces are at full readiness and could launch military operations against Iran at any moment. As for Trump, the final decision rests with him, but he is still hesitating, wrote international affairs expert Suren Sargsyan.

“In my view, Trump is trying to buy time to resolve two strategic issues. First, he needs to shape the necessary public perception and support that would enable him to take action.

He must demonstrate that all negotiating options have been exhausted, that further talks are impossible, and promote the thesis that Iran is very close to acquiring nuclear weapons.

The second important factor relates to reducing domestic political risks. If a military operation results in serious consequences for U.S. forces or personnel, it would directly affect Trump’s and the Republicans’ ratings. This could lead to Republican losses in the November elections and allow Democrats to revive the impeachment agenda. At present, three impeachment resolutions are already in the House of Representatives, and in the event of setbacks, some Republicans could again support impeachment, as happened previously.

During Trump’s first presidency, Democrats initiated impeachment proceedings, created strong public pressure on Republicans, and waged an active political and media campaign to keep the issue on the agenda. As a result, about a dozen Republicans ultimately supported impeachment.

In other words, Trump’s team still has much to calculate and consider, but the probability of a military conflict remains very high,” he wrote.