‘It’s Total Confusion’: MS NOW Analyst Argues Trump ‘Kneecapping’ Any Actual Strategy to End Iran War

Joel Rubin, a former deputy assistant Secretary of State under Barack Obama, tore into President Donald Trump’s strategy in the war with Iran on Thursday in a panel discussion led by MS NOW anchor Ana Cabrera.

After a discussion about President Donald Trump’s latest threats to bomb Iran for a third straight day on Thursday and the president publicly threatening to invade Kharg Island, Cabrera asked why Trump is seemingly giving away his playbook to the Iranians.

“Other military analysts say that would leave our military members as sitting ducks, essentially, in one place,” Cabrera commented about a potential invasion of Kharg Island, adding, “Joel, President Trump, for the second day in a row, is now giving Iran a heads-up about these attacks. Why broadcast it? Is that a negotiating tactic?”

“Quite frankly, the president is so public about every day’s tactical changes that he’s completely undermined his ability to project power and consistency and lead a policy. He’s following the policy rather than driving it,” Rubin replied, adding:

And I think what we’re talking about right now today, as an example with Karg Island, it’s another rhetorical flourish. Maybe he’ll go in, maybe he won’t go in. We don’t really know. And so it does kneecap his ability to be taken seriously at the negotiating table. The folks in the region, as we were just discussing, they want guarantees that they’re gonna be protected. Why should they be wondering whether or not the United States is gonna be protecting them?

We have longstanding agreements with these multiple countries, but now they’re uncertain and unclear. Same with Israel — Prime Minister Netanyahu getting told, “Don’t hit Lebanon and Hezbollah when they strike you.” Then he goes and hits, and it’s total confusion, and I think that that undermines our ability to really secure a deal. And so the president’s sort of flailing about and really weakening our diplomatic leverage.

Watch the clip above via MS NOW.

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