Day 13, Declare Victory or double down?

THIS IS WHAT A WAR TRAP LOOKS LIKE 

LOOSING FACE IS A HARD OPTION

We have heard that this war is almost over. We have heard that there are no more targets left to hit. We have heard that if Iran doesn't capitulate they will bombed like never before. 

Yesterday, Iran launched wave 40 of missile attacks on Israel that lasted over 5 hours. It is reported, but not verified by Israel, that there were many missile impacts. At least 3 ships were damaged near the strait of Hormuz and contrary to all threats it is still not allowing commerce through this vital passageway. 

The clock is ticking until this war will begin to have global economic consequences. The Oil futures price today is $91, gas in Pa, is now $3.80, Diesel $5.19 and Home heating oil $4.80. If no resolution of this war, it will go much higher and begin to have domestic economic consequences.

Implications are far greater in some other parts of the world and the possibility of more players entering this conflict is growing.

The leader of the Iraqi Kurds has stated that they are not guns for hire and it is not their war. 

Trump has been advised by some Senators and military to declare victory and end this war. Israel can not take daily punishment and a dysfunctional economy forever. No one has proposed a plan that will insure safe passage through the strait of Hormuz. Iran has publicly stated that there will be no new negotiations or end to this war unless their demands are met.

One can assume that Netanyahu understood the psychology of Donald Trump very well and knew that if this war started, Trump would want to end as a winner, any backdown would look like weakness and have global and domestic implications. We can only assume that we will soon see a doubling down of this conflict and even the possibility of introducing ground troops to secure the strait of Hurmuz. This will result in many casualties and the need for further escalation.

At the same time Israel will be eventually be put into the position of facing its doom and as it has done numerous times in the past, threaten the use of nuclear weapons.  It could be expected that this critical period will come in just a few weeks.

It takes a lot of humility and real courage to change course, it will be the ultimate test, so far, of Trumps presidency.

a