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Saturday, June 13, 2026

Perspective with Andrew Dickens: Has Trump locked America into a 'forever war'?


So, it’s been more than two months since the president announced what he described as a ceasefire with Iran and suggested a major deal was just days away. This was back on April 7.

The president said on social media that the two sides were “very far along”, adding that they just needed two weeks for the agreement to be finalised and consummated. But of course, that never happened.

And yet, in the weeks and months since, the president has continued to insist that a deal is right around the corner—again and again. In fact, he’s now made that claim 38 times, a fact seized on by Iran.

Through social media posts, public remarks and interviews, he keeps saying an agreement is imminent or that Iran is eager to strike one. And there’s little indication that those claims are any more accurate than they were back in early April.

So, what’s he doing?

He could be trying to calm the financial markets. He could believe that repeating the claim might actually help bring it to life. Or, more likely, he’s simply misread the entire situation.

I was listening to Heather this morning, and more and more analysts—from both sides of politics—are starting to doubt his credibility and publicly voice concerns that he has locked the United States into a forever war.

And increasingly, people are saying that the US never fully understood that Iran’s real weapons of mass destruction were gifted by geography: its oil, and its ability to close the Strait of Hormuz using little more than speedboats with bazookas. That he never fully grasped the potential effect on the global economy.

You know, there’s a thing called TDS—and it appears the real derangement syndrome here is the belief that the president has this under control.

Andrew Dickens is a broadcaster with Newstalk ZB. - where this article was sourced.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

America loves forever war. Presidents don’t usually run on not starting wars though, so the current situation is different in that regard.

Clive Bibby said...

You obviously wrote this before yesterday’s announcement of a potential breakthrough peace agreement - something that the President has been working towards ever since the war began which, up until now, have been repeatedly frustrated by fruitless negotiations.
Also an interesting answer to your question.from
Trump himself when asked what he wanted for his 80th birthday in a few days.
“ A world at peace” was his reply
That is in sharp contrast to the suggested objectives outlined in this and other contributions to this publication.

Anonymous said...

The Middle East has been in state of war for 3000 years - what's new are the weapons.

Rob Beechey said...

I congratulate this local MSM talkback host’s insightful analysis of world events. How come he has been overlooked by foreign policy strategists seeking international advice? Dickens is absolutely wasted stimulating public debate on local council issues and the price of public transport. 

Don said...

Trump seems to be calling the (deranged) tune - but who (or what) is running Trump?
This chaos cannot be laid at the feet of one megalomaniac. There must be a host of driving factors involved in anarchy on a scale such as we are witnessing. Trump is clearly a scapegoat for what is really going on. Meanwhile humans are fast developing their own nemesis - AI.

Dreadnought007 said...

IMHO, Trump has no reason to sign a peace deal that doesn’t include no nukes. He’d look weak and stupid and I don’t think he would agree to that.
At the moment Iran can’t trade and and is losing money hand over fist, the Mullahs don’t care, they’re happy to die for their beliefs. But there will come a point that the population will have to choose revolution or starvation.
Iran has promised and lied for decades, Trump is playing their own game against them. Promise and refuse at the last moment.
He’s just killed the Tren de Aragua gang leader in a strike, does this look like someone who will bow down to Iran?
Strange “forever war” that’s lasted only 3 months and US casualties are less than 20 and Iran has lost it’s entire navy and airforce.
The TDS is strong in this piece.

Anonymous said...

Geez Andrew, it’s June.
We all could have written this a couple of months ago.
Why has it taken you so long to figure it out?

Anonymous said...

Trump has announced 26 pending peace deals now with Iran. We are awash in peace deals - just around the corner! Poor Clive and his derangement.

Rob Beechey said...

No one would be more disappointed with a successful Iranian peace plan than this author and other sufferers of TDS

Anonymous said...

We had a successful Iranian peace deal under Obama, and later, Trump. It was great given the circumstances. I was happy and the author was happy. Another peace deal equal to the old one would be a start and we would again be happy.

Basil Walker said...

I applaud President Trump for banishing nuclear weapons from Iran today. Iran is a sinister operator that does not consider human suffering.
For the USA president to achieve the agreed banning of Nuclear weapons from IRAN in record time , because it really is a first this century deserves praise and appreciation , not TDS derision .

Clive Bibby said...

Who would have thought the haters would say that a generation that had just been saved from extinction would be mean spirited enough to deny the architect of "peace in our time" the moment of satisfaction his work on our behalf deserves.
What a contrast in political statesmanship not seen since Metternick strode Europe like the colossus he was.
You have the naive "mouther" Obama trying to pretend his deal was much the same as Trump's which is simply delusional bullshit and the real peacemaker par excellence, Donald Trump achieving what the haters claimed was beyond him.
Time for a large dollop of humble pie and admissions they got it wrong.

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