US falls into Israel's trap
Israel presses forward with what many observers describe as a campaign of ethnic cleansing
WHAT happened to President
Donald Trump's promise of 'no war'? As this piece goes to print, the US stands perilously close to being dragged into a potentially catastrophic conflict with Iran — prodded by none other than the increasingly belligerent Israeli government.
This looming confrontation threatens to send shockwaves through the global economy.
Disruption to oil flows would only be the beginning. For a global economy already reeling from inflation and economic uncertainty — amplified by Trump's earlier tariff battles — this new crisis could deepen the struggles faced by Americans and others round the world.
It is deeply ironic that such a potential war looms under a president who campaigned as an anti-war figure. During his 721-day run-up to the 2024 election,
Trump repeatedly vowed to put 'America First' and steer clear of costly foreign entanglements. That message resonated strongly with a public exhausted by decades of endless wars and rising living costs.
Many Americans saw no reason why the US should be involved in conflicts far away from their shores.
Trump also promised swift solutions to some of the world's most intractable crises. At a March 2023 rally in Texas, he declared:
'Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after I win the presidency, I will have the disastrous war between Russia and Ukraine settled. I will have that settlement done within 24 hours.'
Five months into his term, Ukraine remains a battlefield and Gaza continues to be a killing field. Israel — a small illegal nation with outsized influence — presses forward with what many observers describe as a campaign of ethnic cleansing. There is no peace in sight — only deepening tragedy.
So, what does this say about Trump? About politicians in general? Well, that's politicians for us.
They make promises to win elections, promises they cannot keep or never intended to keep in the first place.
In the meantime, Israel's unrelenting bombardment of Gaza found a brief distraction when it launched missile strikes against
Iran. But this temporary shift in focus could become a long-term quagmire — especially if the US becomes directly involved.
To critics, this potential policy misstep over Iran appears to be yet another reckless idea from a leader who has shown little regard for nuance or diplomacy. Like his controversial tariffs, Trump's approach to international relations seems driven more by bravado than by strategy.
In truth, Trump and his administration have demonstrated a troubling lack of understanding of global affairs. He spoke of ending the Russia-Ukraine war and resolving the Gaza crisis as if they were simple business deals. The reality, however, has proven far more complex. They don't happen at the snap of a fingers.
The same can be said for his dangerous posturing toward Iran.
The US has failed before — in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Why should anyone believe that Iran — a country nearly five times the size of Malaysia, with a population of over 90 million — will be any easier to subdue? Iran has weathered decades of US sanctions and military threats.
It is not a foe to be underestimated. Military experts have warned against such adventurism.
Retired US Army Colonel Douglas Abbott Macgregor recently reminded listeners during a podcast discussion, of the 1983 Beirut bombing, in which a suicide truck attack killed 241
American servicemen. The explosion marked one of the deadliest single-day losses for the Marine Corps since World War II (WWII).
Macgregor urged Trump to learn from history — to heed the that lesson former President Ronald
Reagan learned too late. 'We fell into a trap, the usual Israel's trap,' Macgregor said. 'Drag us into the Middle East, make us targets.' This warning comes from a commander who led one of the early tank battles in the Gulf War.
Trump's claim that the US won't put boots on the ground is naive.
Relying solely on air and naval power does not eliminate risk — it merely changes the form it takes.
History has shown that technological superiority alone cannot guarantee victory — or survival.
After half a century of failed interventions, one might expect the US to have learned better.
Some have. But not the military-industrial complex: The powerful alliance of government officials, military brass and defence contractors that profits handsomely from perpetual conflict.
For them, war is not a tragedy; it's an opportunity. A new front means new weapons to test, new contracts to sign and a fresh narrative to justify ever-growing budgets.
It's almost a jolly good business to wage wars as a profitable enterprise!
As the retired colonel sums it up: 'Arrogance and self-delusion are trumping reason.'
Habhajan Singh is the corporate editor of The Malaysian Reserve.
This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition
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