It is almost impossible to follow, let alone describe, American foreign policy. The armed conflict with Iran which Donald Trump, for legal reasons, refuses to describe as a war, even though his self-styled secretary for war is nominally in charge, has become ridiculous. With numerous claims of victory, equally numerous claims that the Iranians are desperate to negotiate, demands for unconditional surrender, and threats of annihilation, Washington finds itself mired in an intractable mess. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed. Oil and gas prices are causing immense international instability. US weapons stocks are being depleted. Its large-scale military, aerial and naval deployment has achieved absolutely nothing except perhaps cover for Israel’s monstrous impunity.

Even then, Binyamin Netanyahu claims to be angered by Trump’s deal to allow Turkey to purchase F-35 fighter jets and his other deal to promote nuclear capacity including uranium enrichment by Saudi Arabia. Uncritical support for Israel is increasingly unpopular in American politics. Once protected by an almost universal omerta, the activities of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) are now being increasingly challenged and frequently condemned in American political discourse.

Trump’s largely illusory international Board of Peace has gone nowhere in addressing the devastation in Gaza. Hamas says it will disarm and hand over to a civilian authority if Israel withdraws from the entire Gaza Strip. Israel refuses to budge. Trump once........

© The Irish Times