Did a TV moderator prevent the US attack on Iran?

The policy of 73-year-old Donald Trump with Iran has led the world into question. What's behind the confusion over a canceled attack in response to the U.S. crash? A clever chess move? Respect for Human Life or Just an Inner Sense?

New York Times now offers a much different answer.

According to the paper, 50-year-old Tucker Carlson's words have made a difference. This man is not a general, he's not in Trump's cabinet -- he's a Fox News TV moderator!

Carlson reportedly spoke to the American president several times over the last few days. On Thursday evening he had said on a television program: “If there is a war, he'll forget it's going to be re-elected”.

The president heard it and Carlson's words seemed to weigh more on Trump than the experts. Because shortly after that, he reportedly cancelled the attack on Iran.

American political science expert Christian Hacke also believes Trump's decision is related to the election campaign. “For Trump, now everything is internal policy on campaign model”.

By canceling command for war, Trump is being represented as peacemakers. That depends. Even if he risks confrontation with Bolton (Security Council, John Bolton) and the military, he wins respect in political environments”.

Hawke says Trump's decision was an excellent tactic. “Trump has been constantly underestimated, especially in Germany. But he's turning out more and more like a smart politician, a manipulator washed with all the water”.

Following the annulment of the order to attack Iran, US Security Adviser John Bolton warned Tehran not to take American government care for weakness.

Neither Iran nor any other enemy actor should confuse US care and discretion with weakness”, Bolton said Sunday in Jerusalem.

The American Army is ready for action,” he added.

Dramatic Thursday

As the world was close to a US attack on Iran, the paper illustrates with a chronology of events last Thursday.

- Security Council John Bolton, 70, arrived at the White House morning at seven o'clock with Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Chanhan; with Pentagon Chief of Staff candidate Mark Esper; with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and American Army Chief of Staff General Joseph Dunford Jr. The team briefed President Trump on the collapse of an Iranian-free US plane.

Their advice: America must send a clear signal to the regime in Tehran.

- Around 11:00, the same group returned to the White House. This time at the table were more than twelve options for a revenge attack, some of which were prepared after attacks on two tankers in Oman Bay.

Options were reduced to two scenarios. They planned radar destruction and rocket launchers.

Irony: The highest army on this team was the only one who warned of the consequences of an attack. General Dunford said he could endanger American soldiers and US allies in the region.

According to New York Times, a Pentagon lawyer had given a possible assessment of the number of victims in case of attack, something common in such cases.

Trump later stated that he decided not to drop the bomb due to fears there might be at least 150 casualties. But according to the paper, the discussion about the number of victims played a smaller role.

-Trump already took advice from the outside as usual, including Senator Lindsey Graham. He also requested a military response.

-On the other hand, President Trump had received information that Iran's political leadership was terrified of the collapse of the American driver.

- At 1500 p.m., Trump called the heads of Congress to the Chamber of Situations to update the situation.

- Air flow was getting closer and closer. Trump consulted with Senator Graham again that evening. He was on a plane on his way to California.

- At 8:00, the president finally turned on the TV at the White House to watch Tucker Carlson's program. And he said something Trump had repeatedly declared in the 2016 election campaign: Wars abroad bring down the United States of America.

Carlson also attacked the Trump team's voters when he said: "You don't have the president's interests in mind” An attack could turn into war very quickly without bringing about a victory. And this is the opposite of Trump's election promises in 2016, follows the map.

Those words evidently influenced the head of state: Shortly after, he announced that the attack on Iran will be cancelled, showing critics that it is not as aggressive as they suspect.

Value for Trump

“While Trump appears combative and conflicting in public, he always refrains from violence,” wrote New York Times. He is convinced that America has lost a lot of life and a lot of money in the meaningless wars in the Middle East and does not want to repeat the mistakes of his ancestors”.

Republican Senator Jim Rich, who took part in the Chamber of Situations conference Thursday, said in an interview: “Whoever criticises the president, must be fortunate not to take that decision. I saw how much he tortured himself”.

Meanwhile, Iran can read as lucky as President Trump turned off his TV after Tucker Carlson's show. Because then Sean Hunt's program started on Fox News. He requested: “Make Iran hell with the <x1 user bombing.

Bild newspaper