From a candidate who vehemently accused his political opponents of dragging the United States into new wars, Donald Trump now appears as a president who threatens, warns, and strikes with impressive ease... His new threat against Oman, regarding the Strait of Hormuz and Iran, was not just another inflammatory statement... it was the latest addition to a constantly expanding list of countries targeted by American power under Trump, who had actually desperately coveted the Nobel Peace Prize... The US "terror list" includes 5 states out of the approximately 20 in the Middle East, or 1 out of 13 on a global scale.
Fire against the warmongers
As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump presented his opponents with evident pleasure as warmongering interventionists who would entangle the United States in all kinds of foreign wars—even World War III. As president, Trump has amassed an impressive list of countries that he has either threatened to attack or has actually attacked. Trump added a new country to this list yesterday, Wednesday, May 28, threatening to strike Oman if it attempts to control the Strait of Hormuz alongside Iran.
"We will blow up Oman"
"Oman will behave like everyone else, otherwise we will have to blow them up," Trump declared at a cabinet meeting at the White House. It was particularly striking because it was phrased as an offhand remark—something Trump seemingly tossed out effortlessly, without much prior thought. And this has become somewhat characteristic of Trump.
The 15th country
Oman is at least the 15th country that he has either threatened to attack, left the possibility of an attack open, or actually struck during his two terms as president. Almost all of these cases occurred in the first 16 months of his second term, although some extend across both terms. He has launched strikes against seven countries so far in this term—Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen—after having also attacked some of these countries during his first term.
Strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific
This does not even count the strikes against alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, which have targeted nearly 60 vessels and killed more than 190 people. He has also threatened or left open the possibility of strikes against seven more countries in this term: Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Greenland—which is part of Denmark—Mexico, Panama, and now Oman. He had also threatened Mexico and North Korea during his first term.
Not all threats are the same
Not all these threats and strikes are the same. Some, such as the strikes in Iraq, had a limited goal of targeting terrorists rather than the government in power. And some of the threats were less direct—in many cases, Trump simply refused to rule out the possibility.
The... "madman" theory
Part of this can be explained by Trump's adoption of the "madman theory" in foreign policy. In other words, he likes to present himself as unpredictable, believing that this makes foreign adversaries more likely to yield to his demands. But all of this betrays an extremely belligerent stance from a president who has already invaded two countries this year—Iran and Venezuela—and appears to be considering a third, Cuba.
What the numbers say
And the data, according to CNN, shows just how militant Trump has been. Here are some statistics.
- 1 in 13 countries: That is how many Trump has threatened or struck so far: 15 out of the world's nearly 200 countries.
- 1 in 11 people: These countries account for 1 in 11 people in the world. This means that 1 in 11 people on the planet has worried, even slightly, that Trump could launch a military strike against their country.
- 5 countries in the Middle East: Trump has now threatened or targeted five countries in the Middle East alone. These are five of the less than 20 total countries in the Middle East.
- 4 continents: Trump's threats and strikes have included countries on four of the world's six inhabited continents: Africa, Asia, North America, and South America. Technically, he has also threatened a European country, Denmark, although by speaking about acquiring its territory in North America.
- 5 potential targets for imperialism: Of the 15 countries he has struck or threatened, he has identified five as potential additions to the United States: Canada, Cuba, Greenland, Panama—specifically the Panama Canal—and Venezuela.
Americans must leave the Persian Gulf
The United States must leave the Persian Gulf region in order for development and peace to exist, argued Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran. "We do not see any obstacle or problem for cooperation with the countries of the region," the Iranian official stated, responding to a question about whether Iran is discussing the signing of a non-aggression pact with the Persian Gulf countries. According to him, the problems began due to US aggression against Iran. He also assesses the presence of Israel in the region as a problem. "The US and Israel must leave the Persian Gulf region, so that real ground can be created for cooperation with the states of the region," Bagheri Kani stated. According to him, this will allow the Persian Gulf region to prosper and develop, while it will also bring stability and peace. He further added that the main issue of the memorandum being discussed with the US is the termination of the war and that, after the settlement of the conflict, Tehran is ready to discuss other issues.
New tension in Hormuz with US-Iran exchange of fire – The truce remains
At the same time, new tension was recorded in the last few hours in the Strait of Hormuz with US and Iranian military forces exchanging fire, although neither the United States nor Iran state that the truce has collapsed... Reuters, citing a source, reported that the US carried out strikes against a military facility in Iran near Bandar Abbas. According to the website Axios, an Iranian UAV launch facility was destroyed, along with four kamikaze drones, which were allegedly launched against a US Navy ship and a merchant vessel.
Revolutionary Guards: We struck a US airbase in retaliation for the Bandar Abbas attack
The Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) announced that they struck a "US airbase" in response to an attack by US forces early in the morning in an area near the Iranian airport in Bandar Abbas. In a statement broadcast by the Tasnim agency, the IRGC reported that an airbase, which it identified as the point of origin of American "aggression"—though without mentioning where it is located—was attacked at 04:50 local time. "After today's pre-dawn attack by American forces, during which an installation near the Bandar Abbas airport was bombed from the air, the American military base from which the attack was carried out was struck at 04:50 in the morning," reported the Iranian television network Press TV, citing a statement from the Corps. The IRGC also emphasized that any act of aggression against Iran will not go unanswered and that, if the attacks are repeated, Iran will act even "more decisively." Press TV reported overnight into Thursday that several explosions occurred in the Iranian city of Bandar Abbas. The television network did not give details on the incident.
IRGC: We forced a US tanker to stop with warning shots...
The exchange of fire between the US and the IRGC was preceded by an operation of the Revolutionary Guards Navy against 4 tankers, including one American. As reported by Tasnim, the Revolutionary Guards Navy (IRGC) forced an American tanker, which was attempting to illegally cross the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran's restrictions, to turn back. "Several hours earlier, an American oil tanker had attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after disabling its tracking system," points out a report by the Tasnim agency, citing a military source. "However, after the immediate and decisive reaction of the IRGC Navy, including warning shots toward the vessel, the tanker was forced to stop and retreat," the Guards state. According to information, 4 ships attempted to pass through Hormuz, including the American tanker, with their tracking systems disabled. The Guards asked the ships for their details for identification, but there was no response. As a result, the Guards fired warning shots. In response, US forces targeted three locations near Bandar Abbas airport, without causing casualties or damage, and then followed the response of the Revolutionary Guards against a US airbase.
The second attack in 48 hours
This is already the second attack in recent days on facilities in Iran. On Tuesday, May 26, the Pentagon claimed that US Armed Forces attacked missile launchers and vessels in southern Iran, because they allegedly posed a threat to American military personnel. At the same time, the Department of War assured that there is no question of ending the truce. The IRGC had announced on the same day a violation of the borders by American unmanned aerial vehicles and an F-35 fighter. It claimed that it shot down the drones and forced the aircraft to leave the airspace. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic accused, in relation to this, the United States of violating the truce.
And... negotiations
Last Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that there are good chances for a provisional agreement with the Islamic Republic on the nuclear issue. Previously, the Washington Post had reported that the framework agreement, which has not yet been approved by the Iranian side, provides for Tehran to abandon its stocks of highly enriched uranium. However, in the Islamic Republic itself, they denied the information about readiness to transfer the uranium out of the country. On Sunday, Donald Trump stated that the sides have almost agreed on the terms and that they will announce them soon. According to media, they may sign a memorandum of understanding in the immediate future. The document includes commitments by Iran not to create nuclear weapons, while the US may lift the blockade of the ports. It was also reported that the White House will lift part of the sanctions, which will allow Iran to freely sell oil. The US is ready to discuss the unfreezing of the Islamic Republic's assets within 60 days, provided the final version of the agreement is approved.
And... sanctions
The United States imposed sanctions on the maritime traffic control command in the Strait of Hormuz, which was created by Iran. "The following legal entity has been added to the list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons of the Office of Foreign Assets Control: Gulf Strait Authority," announced the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury. Iran created a special structure in April to regulate the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. As stated to the IRGC, any movement of civilian and commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz is carried out through a specific route and after coordination with the Iranian authorities.
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