Damage Assessment:

Have We Been Played?

A few weeks ago, America was negotiating with Iran on curbing its nuclear capabilities. This had been a bone of contention between the two nations since President Trump pulled out of the previous nuclear deal in 2018.

Without notifying us, Israel attacked Iran. They took out missile and air defense systems, but left Iran’s nuclear facilities largely untouched. Israel didn’t have the weapons to attack Iran’s hardened nuclear sites.

It became clear that Israel needed a partner with more powerful weapons to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities. They began a concentrated effort to convince the Trump administration that it was somehow in our best interest to aid them in the war they started. The nukes must be destroyed, they argued.

Our intelligence community was adamant in its conviction that Iran was not close to developing a nuclear weapon. The administration ignored this assessment. President Trump claimed he had better information regarding Iran’s nuclear threat. Assuming that this “information” was not fabricated, it must have come from Israel.

Based on his questionable belief that Iran was close to fielding a nuclear weapon, Trump became more bellicose in his social media posts and public statements. He hinted that the US was willing to help Israel with its war by using weapons such as “Bunker Buster” bombs on Iran’s facilities. Tipped off to his intentions by these statements, Iran began moving truckloads of nuclear material and equipment out of the facilities.

Then we attacked Iran with B-2 bombers and cruise missiles. Trump immediately claimed total and complete success. When a damage assessment report showing otherwise was leaked, it was denounced by the Defense Department as inaccurate.  DOD then began an investigation to find the leaker. The investigation added more credibility to the report.

Trump continued to tout the success of the attack. Even Iran conceded that the attack had caused considerable damage to its nuclear facilities. Why wouldn’t they? If there were no longer a nuclear threat, there would be no more excuse for bombing them.

Amid the controversy over damage assessment, Trump declared a ceasefire, apparently without consulting the belligerents. Bombs and missiles continued to rain down for another day before both sides concluded that a ceasefire might be a good idea. They were running out of targets and hardware to throw at each other. (Perhaps Trump should get the Nobel Peace prize for the timing of his pronouncement.)

Shortly after the ceasefire took hold, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, that, “Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State.”  Netanyahu was facing multiple charges of corruption, including fraud and accepting bribes.  Many observers saw the post as meddling in another country’s legal affairs.

The latest chapter in the tale of why we bombed Iran could be the report that Trump’s name will soon adorn the top of a Tel Aviv hotel. How does this help America, you ask?

Sorry, that’s classified.

LDT June 26, ‘25

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