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For Sale Mar 24, 2026 at 4:19 AM

Why Trump may not be able to TACO in Iran — even if he wants to

Posted by Crossstoney

https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/24/politics/trump-iran-war-taco-straight-of-hormuz-analysis
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the_cla Mar 24, 2026 +1
As someone (not me) observed: "It takes two to TACO"
1
Toxitoxi Mar 24, 2026 +1
The problem is simple: Iran benefits from making this as painful as possible for the United States. This is the second time in Trump’s second term he has attacked Iran. They know that if they don’t make America suffer, he will be back again. So they need to draw as much blood as possible.
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idle-tea Mar 24, 2026 +1
More than that: Israel's heading into Lebanon and the USA and Israel both are more unpopular on the world stage than they have been in a long time. If there's ever going to be a time the rest of the world might be pressured into giving Iran concessions, it's now. Having the USA be the clear aggressors who started the fight sure helps their image. It's a damn shame the Iranian government sucks and is evil, otherwise it'd make a great plucky underdog story.
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Michael_G_Bordin Mar 24, 2026 +1
I am definitely not rooting for Iran, but I also have zero confidence in Republican leadership to resolve this with any kind of substantial W. They've proven they can't handle strategic military planning. They're sure good at starting wars, but they always fail to ascertain victory conditions and the means of achieving them.
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Yorks_Rider Mar 24, 2026 +1
Trump has selected his cabinet based on loyalty, not ability. The result is no surprise.
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No_Sky_6446 Mar 24, 2026 +1
People from the Middle East are like consistently the smartest people I interact with and talk to, to think you can out smart a person with an education from that region is beyond me
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Mikethebest78 Mar 24, 2026 +1
He is treating this like a video game and its not. What he does has real consequences in the lives of people I honestly don't think he is able to understand that anymore from a cognitive standpoint.
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Adversary-of-Tyrants Mar 24, 2026 +1
That's generous. It's not that he doesn't understand what he does has real consequences for other people, it's that he doesn't care. None of the rich assholes give a single solitary shit about how much harm they do, so long as they make money from it.
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Hour-Passenger-8513 Mar 24, 2026 +1
Trump better swallow his pride and TACO, else the economy will depress deeper than ever.
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Due_Bluebird3562 Mar 24, 2026 +1
The article alludes to why he can't just leave. Either way the economy is fucked regardless.
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Hour-Passenger-8513 Mar 24, 2026 +1
Economy is fucked yet the elites find ways to make millions off the chaos and misery. https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-iran-updates-oil-futures-trade-suspicious-betting-activity-usa-world-news/1061ef6b-5fef-401c-b469-98016ccdb9c3 Government will bail out elite institutions, just like the market crash in 2008.
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Ielsoehasrearlyndd78 Mar 24, 2026 +1
Socialism for the rich ultra capitalism for the poor. When a poor person gets handouts to feed himself or his family society is trained to look down on it when a billionaire gets its tax refund through the loopholes they installed or get bailed out by the government and get millions from the tax payer it's normal people still votes for this rich assholes that don't give a f*** about them.
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Hour-Passenger-8513 Mar 24, 2026 +1
It's not a loophole, it's a feature.
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HonoredPeople Mar 24, 2026 +1
America is locked in. If we leave, Israel will get the full wrath of Iran. So we’re stuck. Which should’ve been thought about before we went too war.
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Hour-Passenger-8513 Mar 24, 2026 +1
So America first, but after Israel. Got it.
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Lucky-Roy Mar 24, 2026 +1
It was ever thus.
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HonoredPeople Mar 24, 2026 +1
America should be first, but whatever insane shit we’re doing atm is beyond my scope and scale. I mean, Jebus! Sweet, sweet, Jebus! My poor mind has been blown up so many times, it’s mush. If we leave Bibi and Israel now, Iran will come storming back. Becoming not just a pain for Israel, but a whole mess of other nations. Qatar? Saudis? Iraq? Kuwait? Anybody that helped us out? Because the hardliners will do exactly that. They’ll purge. They’ll constantly attack everybody and everything. Trump is such a fing idiot.
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blazesquall Mar 24, 2026 +1
Oh no.. how terrible.  Actions and consequences.
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dogisgodspeltright Mar 24, 2026 +1
The reason for going in are speculative - from being compromised by Epstein files, to being too cognitively-challenged to think this was a good idea, or worse. In either case, getting out is equally complicated - he either remains compromised so he can't, or incapable to think so he won't.
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lowsparkedheels Mar 24, 2026 +1
Trump won't 'get out' because he's an old NPD, and even if he's getting old, and he's definitely compromised, his ego will never allow it. Time for the Republicans to remember America First does not include destroying the world. If they can pull their heads out long enough to critically ponder that.
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BaseConnect1420 Mar 24, 2026 +1
Doesn’t really matter now. It’s is back on. US and Israel have now hit Iran energy and water infrastructure. Iran has advised they are responding to the attacks. [Iran’s response](https://www.reddit.com/r/JournalismNews/s/eem2TCcz1J)
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zubbs99 Mar 24, 2026 +1
So the whole "We're having good talks" thing is kinda not happening.
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Wildpony03 Mar 24, 2026 +1
Trump pretty much doomed himself with the invasion of Iran. He also made an unrealistic demand the "uncondictional surrender" is insane In Japan America actually withdrew the unconditional surrender because it meant they would have to do a ground invasion so they made more reasonable compromises to secure an end to the war. If Trump withdraws his unconditional surrender he will look weak to his base and Netanyahu.
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PerformativeRacist Mar 24, 2026 +1
>In Japan America actually withdrew the unconditional surrender because it meant they would have to do a ground invasion so they made more reasonable compromises to secure an end to the war. This is incorrect, Japan still unconditionally surrendered. They got to keep their emperor, but basically all political power was removed from the emperor, and he had to answer to allied supreme command.
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aflyingsquanch Mar 24, 2026 +1
By definition, if you surrender based on the condition that you keep your emperor, its not unconditional regardless of how his powers are curtailed.
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Dr_G_E Mar 24, 2026 +1
The Allies never withdrew their demand for unconditional surrender. Although the Allies did not formally guarantee the status of the Emperor, Japan accepted the complete, unconditional terms of the Potsdam Declaration, which included disarmament, occupation, and removal of wartime leaders. The official surrender instrument signed on September 2, 1945 contained the specific language of "unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters and of all Japanese armed forces and all armed forces under Japanese control wherever situated."
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aflyingsquanch Mar 24, 2026 +1
On paper...yes. In reality, they let them keep their Emperor and told them they would prior to the surrender was signed which had previously been a sticking point. It was unconditional but it really wasnt given that minor allowance for them to be able to save some face
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AINonsense Mar 24, 2026 +1
> By definition, if you surrender based on a condition, its not unconditional
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Maus666 Mar 24, 2026 +1
True and he's trying to use the "Art of the Deal" in international diplomacy and conflict resolution. Obviously, it isn't going to work. His theory in real estate is basically to hold the highest possible goal in negotiation and be relentless/give nothing away until your opponent meets you at or as close as possible to your highest goal. Obviously, this isn't going to work because launching an existential war on Iran is not like buying an apartment building and he's a f****** idiot for thinking it is.
1
zaparthes Mar 24, 2026 +1
> He's a f****** idiot. Fixed this for you.
1
Teufelsdreck Mar 24, 2026 +1
I wish I had a nickel for every time we've thought Trump had doomed himself. Whatever he's doomed this time, it won't be himself. Of course, it would delight me to be wrong.
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nutritionvegan Mar 24, 2026 +1
Non-paywall version here: https://archive.ph/npNPe
1
Toxitoxi Mar 24, 2026 +1
The fact that CNN of all sites has “subscribers only” content is the funniest shit.
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two2under Mar 24, 2026 +1
it’s called a quagmire
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jackleggjr Mar 24, 2026 +1
Giggity… giggity?
1
two2under Mar 24, 2026 +1
oh man, I completely missed that well played well played
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AINonsense Mar 24, 2026 +1
Bibi won’t stop. Neither will Tehran.
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zubbs99 Mar 24, 2026 +1
And Trump's got us right in the middle of all of it.
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Unique-Coffee5087 Mar 24, 2026 +1
Grapple de Tar Baby.
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HonoredPeople Mar 24, 2026 +1
I say this as someone who believes War with Iran was an epically stupid move. I don’t think we can fix it. Unless we fully commit. A couple million troops, going door to door long for hardliners and old guard. Spend a few trillion dollars, twenty years and hope to end up with something like Iraq. If we cannot that, we’ve lost before we even started. What a clusterfuk.
1
Intel-Source Mar 24, 2026 +1
VietNam 2.0
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