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PaperclipPerfector  2d ago (text post)   11936 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of April 6, 2026

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IRAN WINS IRAN WAR

President Trump on Truth Social:

"Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE! The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East. We received a 10 point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate. Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated. On behalf of the United States of America, as President, and also representing the Countries of the Middle East, it is an Honor to have this Longterm problem close to resolution. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

Iran foreign minister Araghchi confirms the agreement.

  • No regime change

  • Assurances of "safe" passage through the strait of Hormuz, but no assurance of "free" passage.

  • Absolutely no mention of uranium, enrichment, or nuclear weapons.

  • No mention of proxies.

  • Possible sanctions relief.

I have a hard time believing that the USG will actually accept any of the stated points. Every one but the first seems like a non-starter, and taken together seems beyond disastrous for US interests (as well as unbelievably humiliating).

Leaving aside regional interests in the Gulf, conceding the traditional US position on freedom of navigation would be a huge deal. Trump is probably too stupid/parochial to grasp that, though, so I doubt it will move him.

Isn’t Congress required to lift most sanctions against Iran? Most Democrats are still broadly anti-Iran and won’t want to give Trump a win, and many Republicans are hardliners, why would they vote for sanctions relief?

Because if they vote against it, they co-own the war, nullifying the gains from Trump's unpopular decision to start it. The Reps probably would vote against it either way.

That's assuming Trump won't just do it via an EO, and dare anyone to push back.

“The President launched a disastrous war that he lost, and now to save face wants to claim victory by signing a far worse version of the deal we negotiated under Obama, and which he left and rejected. The Iranians know the Democrats actually stand by their word, so when we come back to power, we’ll negotiate a better deal ourselves” is a powerful argument and certainly doesn’t make it look like like they co-own the war, which Trump would claim either way if necessary. By the way, this works even if they agree to the same deal later on - there’s no game theoretical reason for the Dems to agree.

The Iranians know the Democrats actually stand by their word, so when we come back to power, we’ll negotiate a better deal ourselves

Even if people bought the argument, they'd also have to explain how two more years of being bombed would make them more likely to negotiate. It looks like co-owning the war either way.

“Trump doesn’t need Congress to pass a bill to stop bombing Iran, just like he didn’t need Congress to pass a bill to start it”

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