Trump calls Iran conflict a 'soft war' on the eve of the midterms
Reports say the US and Israel are preparing new strikes after the vote, but Trump says he is in no hurry.
The US held midterm elections on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with the war on Iran, which began in late February, hanging over the campaign. On Monday, Trump told host Sean Hannity the conflict is "a very soft war" that the US could end "at any time." The same day, the US struck Qeshm Island, in the , after Iran fired at a US aircraft.
Officials told Fox News the "defensive" strike does not mean a return to full-scale strikes. Trump said he is in no hurry to resume attacks, but Iran will get "the hammer" soon if the latest talks fail. He also said there is a very good chance of a deal.
According to DW, there are reports that the US and Israel are preparing a new round of strikes just after the election. Tehran has warned of a "crushing response" to strikes on underground sites and confirmed indirect contact through Doha and Muscat. The New York Post, citing experts, says Trump has a window of a few weeks after the vote before a new Congress is likely to limit his war powers.
A Fox News report says the Pentagon's estimate of the war's cost to taxpayers tops $47 billion.
- more than $47 billion cost of the war to taxpayers, by Pentagon estimate — New York Post
- 6-8 week window time for freedom of action to continue the war, per Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies — New York Post
- about 50,000 soldiers estimated full US military force in the region — New York Post
Three sides of the story
Liberal2 outlets
Trump's Iran war: political burden and restart risk
A Guardian US column by Mohamad Bazzi opens by asking whether Trump will resume a large-scale war after the midterms. It says officials have leaked plans for new US-Israeli strikes and that Netanyahu urged Trump in a Saturday phone call to restart the bombing soon after the vote. The column argues Trump "can’t bomb his way out of the mess he created in Iran."
It says Qatar-organized talks reportedly progressed toward an interim deal, in which Iran would offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for Washington lifting its blockade and releasing frozen assets. It quotes a US official telling Axios: "If he feels embarrassed or disenfranchised he will do something bold." The New York Times piece asks why Trump has repeatedly raised Iran, "a losing campaign issue," just as voters head to the polls.
Center1 outlet
Experts weigh what the midterms change on Iran
A Deutsche Welle piece, "Can US midterm election really change Trump's Iran policy?", opens with the vote putting the Iran war and the US-Israel relationship at the center of the political standoff. It quotes Ohio Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed calling the war "illegal" and "stupid," and Sen. Ted Cruz, who said: "I have urged arming the Iranian protesters to overthrow the regime." John Bolton says a Democratic majority could control war funding, but a presidential veto limits it.
Alan Eyre sees a "bipartisan consensus" on Iran. DW also reports that Tehran warned of a "crushing response" to any new strikes on underground sites, and that it confirmed indirect contact via Doha and Muscat. A second DW piece asks what Trump might plan after the election and turns to analysts.
Omid Memarian of DAWN says Trump could keep striking Iran in a limited way, short of a formal declaration of war. Babak Rezaeedaryakenari says the likelihood of a military escalation is high.
- Deutsche Welle: Can US midterm election really change Trump's Iran policy?
- Deutsche Welle: What might Trump have planned for Iran following the midterm election?
Conservative2 outlets
Post-election window for strikes, and Trump's soft war
The New York Post leads with a "narrow window" of a few weeks after the elections for Trump to restart the war, citing experts. Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies speaks of a "6-8 week window." Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, calls a two-week, intense bombardment campaign the most likely option.
The Post also lists US forces in the region and quotes Ria Reddy saying Iran would target US bases. A Fox News report carried by the Post has Trump calling the conflict a "soft war" and dismissing the cost, which the Pentagon estimates at more than $47 billion, as "peanuts." A Washington Examiner column by Katherine Thompson of the Cato Institute argues the war departed from Trump's election-night pledge, "I’m not going to start a war."
It tells readers to expect voters to be "unforgiving."
- New York Post: Why Trump only has a few weeks to restart Iran war — and what he could target with new strikes
- New York Post: Trump calls Iran conflict a ‘soft war,’ insists US holds the cards ahead of midterm elections
- Washington Examiner: Broken promises: Why the Iran war could decide the midterm elections
Which side made the stronger case?
A Fox News report carried by the New York Post says the Pentagon's estimate of the war's cost to taxpayers is above $47 billion. It adds that voters are dealing with rising gas prices and other economic effects of the conflict. Trump called the cost "peanuts" and said the war was needed to stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon.
All sources: 7 articles from 5 outlets
Liberal (2)
Center (2)
- Deutsche Welle: Can US midterm election really change Trump's Iran policy?
- Deutsche Welle: What might Trump have planned for Iran following the midterm election?
Conservative (3)
- New York Post: Why Trump only has a few weeks to restart Iran war — and what he could target with new strikes
- New York Post: Trump calls Iran conflict a ‘soft war,’ insists US holds the cards ahead of midterm elections
- Washington Examiner: Broken promises: Why the Iran war could decide the midterm elections
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