How successful was last week's summit in Beijing? President Trump said it was a "great success." Xi Jinping, China's supreme ruler, merely called the meeting "constructive."

Perhaps Mr. Xi thought: "Trump is cunning and unpredictable, so I'd better keep our relations on an even keel while he's in office."

But it's also possible he thought: "I know how to play Trump. Vladimir Putin is also paying me a visit in a few days. I'll tell him, Kim Jong Un, and those now calling the shots in Tehran what they need to do next."

If you watched the summit on television, you saw the pageantry: a military honor guard, flag-waving children, and an elaborate red-carpet ceremony.

Continue to the full article  |  More articles

My fellow Americans, I don't often sit down here in the Oval Office behind the Resolute Desk to give speeches. I prefer to talk to you more off-the-cuff. But I'm making an exception today because I want you to understand exactly what I'm thinking and what I plan to do about the America-haters in Tehran.

We've already achieved a lot — more than any other president over the nearly half century since Iran was taken over by lunatics calling themselves "Islamic revolutionaries."

Continue to the full article  |  More articles

During a Senate hearing last week, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth why she is so vehemently opposed to the use of military force to address the threat posed by Tehran: "We did not have any evidence that Iran intended to imminently attack this country in any way, shape, or form!"

How odd of her not to reckon with the fact that by the time we had such evidence, it might well have been too late to do anything about it. Or maybe no evidence would come to light, and the attack would emerge from a clear blue sky – as happened, literally, on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

Continue to the full article  |  More articles

Last Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad where he was expected to finalize the terms of a deal he'd offer President Trump.

Less than 24 hours later, he headed back to Tehran. President Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, then canceled the trip they were planning to the Pakistani capital.

"Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work!" Trump posted on social media. If Iran's rulers "want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!"

Are you disappointed because you were hoping for a "diplomatic solution"? Don't be.

Continue to the full article  |  More articles

This headline from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation last week was typical: "Trump announces Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, but major disputes remain."

That framing misses a basic truth: Ceasefires don't resolve conflicts. Though they can lead to productive negotiations, they are more often used by both sides to prepare for the kinetic battles that lie ahead.

Continue to the full article  |  More articles