Middle East war starkly reveals Trump's weaknesses

The ongoing conflicts in the Middle East are starkly revealing the weaknesses in U.S. President Donald Trump's approach to foreign policy, according to commentary from Finnish newspapers. The sentiment echoes the old wisdom that war is easier to start than to end, a lesson learned by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine and now, it seems, by Trump in his dealings with Iran.

Recent escalations, including Iran's missile strikes on Israel and Israel's retaliatory air raids, have occurred despite a fragile ceasefire. Finnish media suggests that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might have enticed Trump into a confrontation by promising an easy victory, a promise that has not materialized. Trump, who has often boasted of his Nobel Peace Prize-worthy negotiation abilities, is now facing a situation where these skills appear insufficient, with peace efforts in Ukraine also fading from view.

The consequences of Trump's policies have deviated significantly from expectations. The anticipated collapse of the Iranian government through popular uprising has not occurred, nor are there guarantees that Iran's nuclear program will be dismantled. Instead, Iran has gained leverage by controlling the Strait of Hormuz, pushing global oil markets and the world economy toward a crisis.

With midterm elections approaching in the U.S., the article posits that Trump must rein in Netanyahu, secure a regional ceasefire, and advance peace negotiations to avoid a domestic political catastrophe. The situation is further complicated by Netanyahu's apparent goal of destroying Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed force operating in Lebanon for decades. Trump's ability to influence the end of these wars, while theoretically present, seems hampered by his current approach.