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Welcome to The Logoff: Is the US-Iran deal “over”?
What’s taking place? The US launched a second consecutive day of strikes in opposition to Iran on Wednesday, deepening a breach within the three-week-old “memorandum of understanding” between the 2 nations.
The quick incident started on Monday after Iran attacked a number of ships within the Strait of Hormuz. The US struck Iran on Tuesday, and Iran responded with strikes of its personal in neighboring Kuwait and Bahrain, that are each house to US navy installations.
The US additionally reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil on Tuesday, proscribing what had been a new earnings stream for the regime.
When requested in regards to the ceasefire on Wednesday, President Donald Trump, who’s at the moment at a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, stated, “I feel it’s over. I don’t need to take care of them anymore. They’re scum.”
What’s the context? As my colleague Josh Keating wrote final month, the top of the Iran battle has been enormously exaggerated from the soar. This isn’t even the primary time the US has attacked Iranian targets for the reason that two sides reached a “memorandum of understanding” in mid-June, which laid out a 60-day pathway towards a extra everlasting deal (no less than in idea).
Different issues additionally abound, together with the standing of the Strait, the excellent query of Iran’s nuclear program, and the Israel-Lebanon battle.
So what now? It’s exhausting to say. Violence has damaged out and receded at different factors in the course of the ceasefire, and Trump’s feedback might be an unreliable indicator of the place issues are headed. However the strikes are as soon as once more grinding visitors by the Strait to a halt, in keeping with CNN, and oil costs are rising.
If that continues, Trump may additionally start to lose floor on gasoline costs, which had been falling following the ceasefire settlement — and with the midterms shortly approaching and voters broadly sad in regards to the state of the economic system, he doesn’t have a lot time left.
Talking of the midterms: The street to regulate of the US Senate might nicely run by Maine, the place Democratic nominee Graham Platner is going through critical new allegations which might be more likely to finish his marketing campaign. On a particular episode of his podcast America, Really, my colleague Astead Herndon explains why the left ignored Platner’s crimson flags within the first place.
And with that, it’s time to sign off…
Right here’s a Logoff piece if I’ve ever seen one: The ethical case for being much less on-line, that includes some enjoyable historical past about Luddism (as all the time, it’s a present hyperlink).
Plus, from the World Cup: No video games at present. However don’t miss the Vox video workforce on how soccer gamers prepare for chaos.
Thanks for studying, have an awesome night, and we’ll see you again right here tomorrow!