Could it be time to rein in the US President? If so, who will bell the cat? Anyone willing to lead the way? Or is the world waiting to act in the 11th hour?
What is the US President’s current state of mind? Do Americans trust him to drive the US logically to the end of the Iran war?
Donald Trump’s Obsession with Winning
Donald Trump’s obsession with winning, or at least the semblance of it, is well known. His TV show, The Apprentice, was about winning, often by any means necessary.
No wonder the war he started is still raging even as he insists his side has won. The question is: Which army wins and continues to discharge its weapons? Which country wins a war and continues to send more troops to the same battlefield?
Regime Change a Priority
When Trump started the Iran war alongside the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 28th February 2026, the invasion caught the world unawares. And when asked the reason for attacking Iran, Trump said he wanted regime change in Iran.
So, is Iran’s regime change an end in itself? Is it sufficient reason to put American soldiers in harm’s way? Is it enough reason to put the Gulf states in so much danger?
Has the US managed a Regime Change in Iran?
The US-Israeli duo seemed to prioritize the elimination of Iran’s top leadership, a mission they have executed well. Their military officers killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the war. They also killed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard’s (IRG) commander in chief, Mohammad Pakpour; Defense Minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh; and the armed forces’ Chief of Staff, Abdolrahim Mousavi, in the same sweep.
Since then, they have killed the Supreme National Security Council secretary, Ali Larijani; the Intelligence Minister, Esmail Khatib; one of Khamenei’s closest advisors, Ali Shamkani; Commander Gholamreza Soleimani; the navy commander Alireza Tangsiri; the navy intelligence chief, Behnam Rezaei, among others.
Does the killing of several top-ranking officials constitute a regime change? The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has always been responsible for Iran’s defense. It still is.
The Iranian parliament, the “Majles”, remains operational, consulting closely with the IRGC as it has always done, especially in passing security-related policies. For instance, members are discussing a new bill to allow Iran to impose tolls on any foreign ship using the Strait of Hormuz.
The leadership councils, including the Assembly of Experts, are still functional. This is clear from the way vacant positions have been swiftly filled after the assassination of leaders.
So, why does President Trump say there is a regime change in Iran?
Apparently, to Trump, the death of senior leaders is tantamount to regime change. To many analysts, it is the kind of reasoning that raises eyebrows.
US Actions Point to Preparation for a Longer War
It is concerning that the US-Israel duo continues to bombard Iran with missiles, even trying to bomb its oil facilities, even as Trump insists the US has won the war. It is also confusing that Trump’s administration is sending warships to the Gulf at this time.
The US was never meant to send ground troops to this war in the first place. And with the alleged win, observers have been waiting for the aerial bombardments to cease.
The winning claim notwithstanding, Trump has said serious negotiations are going on with a view to ending the war, and that Iran is eager for the war to end.
Already, Pakistan and Oman are said to be mediating between Iran and the US-Israeli duo, and Trump says the negotiations are proceeding “very well”. Trump’s observation is subject to discussion, especially since observers term the US list of 15 demands against Iran’s five, laughable.
Trump’s declared position leaves observers with several pertinent questions:
- Why are the US and Israel still bombarding Iran with missiles?
- Why did they bomb an Iranian university over the weekend?
- Why is Trump still threatening to capture Iran’s Kharg Island?
- Why are US military ships heading to the Gulf?
If nothing else, claiming war victory while sending backup troops to the war zone may be one reason Senator Chuck Schumer’s position resonates with observers, particularly when he deems Donald Trump to be delusional.
The unfortunate thing is that the US seems to forget its history very quickly. The Vietnam War, for instance, cost the country almost 60,000 lives and more than 300,000 injuries, soldiers who believed they had enlisted to protect their country. Yet the US left Vietnam the same way it found it: fundamentally communist.