Trump’s peace plan is a piece of work

Well, now we have it. No more speculating — the 14-point peace plan supposedly agreed to by President Donald J. Trump.

Forget about his opponents — even his loyalists are going to find it hard to swallow a chicken bone and call it a pheasant under glass.

Don’t take my word for it. Here it is, read it for yourself.

Two words you do not see — “unconditional surrender,” which Trump ballyhooed as a goal of the war.

I’m not even going to compare it to President Barack Hussein Obama’s 2015 peace deal. Others are doing that effectively. I am just going to compare it to Trump’s own stated goals, goals that changed more often than a South Dakota weathercast. (The weather in the Mount Rushmore State is known for its wild swings.)

He predicted regime change before he changed, but then returned to say the regime had changed and after being “crazy bastards” they now have evolved into choir boys. He now calls them smart and rational. Trump praised the Iranian tyrants, and the tyrannical leaders of Russia and China.

Where is his head? 

Does the deal eliminate ballistic missiles?

It does not. Unbelievably, on Wednesday he said he didn’t care if Iran kept ballistic missiles.

Where is his head?

Does it contain specifics on what will happen to what Trump calls Iran’s atomic dust? (Point 8.)

It does not.

But the plan says “Iran will maintain the status quo on its nuclear program.” (Point 9.) Does this sound like an end to it? Or that Trump is polishing a turd?

The plan has Iran agreeing to not develop or acquire nukes. It had promised that before. (And cheated.)

Does the peace plan open the Strait of Hormuz immediately and forever without any charges to vessels?

It does not.

Does it end Iran’s support for proxies?

It does not.

Trump keeps demanding Israel stop shooting at Lebanon, where the deadly Hezbollah terrorists are operating. He has made no demands that the terrorists disband and disarm (which is supposed to be what’s happening with Hamas in Gaza, but that also is not.)

But he has agreed (Point 4) to withdraw U.S. forces from the theater. This is important, and sad, when placed against Trump's threats to start bombing again if Iran reneges. Start bombing again with forces that are not there?

Iran will be able to start selling oil immediately, offering relief to the economic boot on Iran’s neck. The crippled economy was a prime lever the U.S. had over Iran. Trump has traded it away for promises.

Foreign investors will be invited to bring “at least”  $300 billion to Iran. (Point 6.) That money, Trump says, is conditional upon Iran’s good behavior. How much will come in before Iran cheats? And can it be withdrawn?

Is there any doubt at least some of those funds will be used to support global terror? In the fable of the scorpion and the frog, the scorpion kills the frog because it is the scorpion’s character. We know Iran’s character.

The U.S. agrees to eliminate all sanctions against Iran. Why? 

This Art of this Deal is very much in Tehran’s favor.

And the promise to Iran’s anti-Islamist population that “help is on the way,” made by Trump?

It is not.

How many MAGA acolytes will not see this as a pig wearing lipstick?

How many will kiss it?

With all that said, Trump’s extreme opponents are saying America has been “humiliated” and “defeated.”

America hasn’t been humiliated, Trump has, although he never admits a loss.

America has not been defeated, its President has signed on to a bad deal. 

Iran is crippled. Trump’s plan throws it a life preserver.

A stupid deal, following an unnecessary war.

I opposed the war, but once we were in it, I wanted to win it.

We haven’t. At best, this is a draw, resetting the chess pieces on the board. 

This is not the last chapter. This was just a memorandum of understanding, not agreement.

Both sides have 60 days to reach agreement. How are you betting in the predictive market?