TÜRKİYE ORTA ASYA HABER KKUORDİNATÖRÜ

ATLANTIC NEWS What do Trump’s contradictory messages really reveal? It’s clear he’s being dragged into a major impasse. After two weeks of fighting with Iran, seeing the traces of illusion behind the US president’s words reveals his true intentions. By Cason Ho Title: Unease, Conflict and War Sunday, March 15 Sunday, March 15 What is the purpose of the war in Iran and when will it end? The answers to some fundamental questions about US President Donald Trump’s initiation of the war change almost daily, sometimes several times a day, and also depend on who you ask. As the effects of the war reverberate across the Middle East and everywhere, Trump’s rhetoric increasingly contradicts his own administration and, at times, confrontations. Live updates on the Iran war: Read our blog for the latest news on the war in the Middle East. Tracking the losses suffered by Trump and his administration in the two weeks since the US and Israel launched their first attack on Iran offers insight into the internal workings of the US war machine and its commander-in-chief. Explosion in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, following an Israeli attack. (Reuters: Khalil Ashavi) Flames and smoke rise from the Sharan oil depot in Tehran following an Israeli attack. (WANA: Majid Asgaripour) Israeli tanks near the Lebanese border. (Reuters: Shir Torem) When will the war end? The initial timeframe revealed by Trump suggested the war would last about a month. However, just a week after the start of the operation, this plan began to falter as Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided detailed updates on the progress of the military operation. March 1 — Trump speaks to the Daily Mail. But it's always been a four-week process, it's estimated to last about four weeks, it's always been about a four-week process, so – no matter how powerful, a big country – it will last four weeks or less. Trump, after promising "no new war" during his presidential campaign, quickly allowed a short-term conflict to develop. March 2 — Trump speaking at the White House We had projected a maximum of four to five weeks, but we have the capacity to last much longer. March 8 — Hegseth speaking on CBS's 60 Minutes. What your viewers need to understand is this: This is just the beginning. March 9 — Trump speaking to CBS News. I think the war is almost entirely over; they have no navy, no communications, no air force, their missiles are scattered, everything is being destroyed, including drones and manufacturing facilities; if you look, they have nothing left. As Trump claimed the U.S. military operation was "far ahead of schedule," concerns grew about the war's impact on global oil supplies. March 9 — Trump speaks at an event in Florida. "We've taken a little trip because we felt we had to do it to get rid of some evils. I think you'll see that it's going to be a short trip." March 9 — Trump speaks to reporters Reporter: Do you think the war will be over this week? Trump: No, but soon. Very soon. Trump's statements implying the war was nearing its end came at a time when attacks on commercial ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz had paralyzed this vital transit point through which about 20 percent of the world's oil flows. Lower fuel prices were one of the key promises of Trump's second term, but prices have risen dramatically since the war began. According to former US Central Command (CENTCOM) operations director Jennifer Parker, the contradictions within the Trump administration may be a result of trying to project an image of strength to Iran while simultaneously grappling with the effects of war on the global economy. "Hegseth is trying to project a strong stance... trying to make Iran think twice about its responses," she said. "Trump is certainly trying to calm the markets." David Smith, an American political and foreign policy analyst at the Center for US Studies, said Trump's comments were likely politically motivated rather than accurately reflecting the state of the war. "Trump knows this is a political weakness for him, so he keeps claiming the war will end very quickly," said Dr. Smith. However, images of Iranian ships setting fire to oil tankers with explosive-laden vehicles showed that Trump's words were only a temporary solution; oil prices briefly fell before quickly rising again. Why did the US attack Iran? Trump's first speech at the start of the war was an eight-minute pre-recorded video he posted on the social media platform Truth Social. Donald Trump announced to the world the start of a major military operation against Iran. The president, the Iranian regime...