"Meanwhile, the gamble is working. The Iranians have yet to respond to the two recent strikes that targeted their forces and missiles in Syria."
Perhaps you wrote this commentary a few hours too early but the last 9 hours have proven your analysis wrong.
A clear message must be sent to Iran. Withdraw all Revolutionary Guard forces from Syria or they will be attacked. Weapons destined for Hezbollah will be targeted and destroyed. An ultimatum would be the best starting point towards stability in the region.

Obama was a professor of constitutional law. He didn't question American greatness he questioned the lack of intelligence of the GOP and foreign leaders to take the steps needed to make peace or solve economic injustice. Trump isn't smart enough to ask questions nor is he smart enough to make America great. Instead he is being used by Putin, Xi, and even Netanyahu at America's expense thinking that doing their bidding makes him a "world leader".

Israel doesn't need US protection, the IDF is picking off the Iranians with ease in Syria and stopping Iranian entrenchment there is imperitive. So far he is playing the cards right. We must hit them everywhere they and their proxies are in Syria, drive them out

the obvious success in Washington he tries to belittle the Moscow visit.
How pathetic are these Useful Tools??!! :-))

A nice analysis! Just one request... please stop using the term "scholarly" or "doubt" when it comes to Obama. Lockstep adherence to leftist orthodoxy expressed in academic circles, for sure. However, throughout his life, he has never demonstrated an ability to think through issues nor weigh evidence nor test hypotheses - all of which are hallmarks of real scholars. For all his faults - and there are many! - President Trump has demonstrated these abilities for decades, including during the past 16 months. With some very good policy as a consequence.

it was a TKO victory but since Iraq surrendered its rights to the river well it was a TKO victory for Iran.
...and Iran played fair by the book, they even went to the UN and did right.
...and no one in the middle east, Prime Minister Netanyahu included had the foresight and smarts to deal with Iran and Iraq while they were locked into that 8/9 years war with one another.
...and yes it is entirely possible that President Trump is gonta get his back sided tanned by the Iranians...
because after all the Iranians are not an inbred North Korean dictator...the Iranians when all is said and done are a worthy Mutha-Fcukah of an opponent! (think about it, what is the real reason Netanyahu baits them so...it is because they are a worthy Mutha-Fcukah opponent!)
which is all to say President Trump has no idea what's inside the Pandora's Box labeled Iran...it could just blow up in his face!

He lied about Israel and Abbas continuously.
Lied about Ben Ghazi
Lied about running guns to the Mexican cartels
Lied about Iran deal which Rhodes admitted.
so much more just a tease.

These are the old rukes

Western Europe still has American soldiers protecting them from presumably Russia. They can go their own way and Trump will pull them out.