With the amount of news thrown at us every day, it is almost surprising when something steals the headlines for more than twenty minutes. Most of the five-minute headlines for the last three years have had to do with Donald Trump. Trump tweeted this, Trump called this person that, yet another woman said Trump is a groping megalomaniac with tiny hands. Did I make that last one up? Maybe.
Just a few days ago, we learned of an attack on multiple key Saudi Arabian oil facilities. This was some serious headline news, taking up far more screen-time than anything The Don has done in the last…few weeks. Truly, I am glad there is finally some news coverage about something that may concern the United State's Foreign Policy.
The quick and dirty story is that two Saudi facilities were bombed via drone in the early morning last Saturday, September 14. In the aftermath of the attacks, roughly 5% of the worlds oil supply was dropped from global markets. Yemen's Houthi Rebels, which have been warring with Iran for some time, claimed responsibility for the attacks.
That's what we knew, until Tuesday.
A source which is remaining anonymous has told several news agencies that the attack originated from within Iran. Few other details were given.
This poses an interesting dilemma for Donald Trump. He hasn't had the best relationship with Iran over the past few years. Admittedly, it is hard to have a good relationship with a country which is currently under the thumb of pretty potent US sanctions. By pulling out of the Iran Nuclear deal, Trump sent a clear message that the US was going to deal with Iran the way The Don wanted to.
Well, here we are. It seems like it is finally time for Trump to deal with Iran the way he wants to. The problem is he seems to have no idea what to do. It seems like he is stuck between a rock and hard place. The rock being his support for Saudi Arabia's oil industry, and the hard place being his secret love affair with Iran.
I know what you're thinking. Trump doesn't have a love affair with Iran, he hates Iran! It is no secret that Trump has been tough on Iran. The point I am trying to make is that Donald Trump and his leadership style simply must have love for a country which is ruled with an Iron Fist. Given his love affair with everything authoritative in this country (think building walls and making executive orders, or cheating at golf), how could Trump not love a country where the head of state is called "The Supreme Leader".
Is it so hard to imagine Trump wishing he was called the "Supreme President"?
The truth comes down to the fact that Donald Trump will have to make a very tough decision. Will he decide to make love or war? Will he act on intelligence gathered by government agencies which he often disparages? Or will he simply do nothing, saying instead that Saudi Arabia should fight their own wars? It is frightening that we must simply wait and see where the whims of The Don take the United States.
To that last point, Trump already said that about Saudi Arabia, in 2014. Where will the wind take us this time?