Donald Trump Can’t Even Pretend To Explain The Plan For Iran

The United States and Israel started a war with Iran over the weekend, dropping bombs in multiple cities across that country. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the bombing. So too, according to reports, were more than 100 children at a school in the Iranian city of Minab. Iran's retaliatory strikes against U.S. military bases in the Middle East have so far resulted in at least four dead American service members. Three American F-15 fighters have also been shot down over Kuwait, reportedly by friendly fire. Israel has also begun attacking Lebanon, and Iran has extended its retaliation to oil production facilities in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

While bringing the Middle East to the brink of total war, President Donald Trump found a few minutes on Sunday to speak to reporters from The New York Times. The resulting article is a stunning instance of three reporters attempting to to apply a sheen of reason and dignity to the ramblings of a confused old man. "Mr. Trump offered several seemingly contradictory visions of how power might be transferred to a new government—or even whether the existing Iranian power structure would run that government or be overthrown," was the strained description the Times cooked up for what Trump had to say about his plans for Iran.

He first suggested that Iran's elite military forces turn over its weapons to the country's populace, voluntarily abdicating power. "They would really surrender to the people, if you think about it," Trump said. He then suggested that Venezuela, and the succession of power that occurred after the U.S. kidnapped President Nicolas Maduro, could serve as a model for how the administration might achieve its goals. "What we did in Venezuela, I think, is the perfect, the perfect scenario," Trump said. "Everybody’s kept their job except for two people." Trump also indicated that he had "three very good choices" for whom he wanted to assume power in Iran.