Syndrome Rules

 

A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.

--Donald J. Trump, April 7, 2026 

 

 

He really has become a 'toon, hasn't he? A mad tyrant or boy genius who got too big for his breeches, essentially the creation of paint, lighting, and gall. If we can see through the pathetic affectation of his pose, surely the Iranians can. And are laughing.

 

Also probably wondering, "Would he really do it?" -- along with some of the rest of us! It might occur to us that this time he boxed himself in so tight, delivering such dire ultimatums that can't be retracted without the great risk of looking like ... well, a 'toon.

 

If he does tonight what he promised this morning, it will be the end of him. The people of the United States are not going to tolerate it, finally -- Trump's final solution -- and the world will rise up in horror and condemnation. Arrest warrants from the World Court. That kind of thing. Talk about being boxed in! But he was never going to follow through on the threat. The threat was as empty as he is.

 

Another possibility -- and quite an attractive one for Trump, because he's a cold-blooded liar -- would be to claim some concession from the Iranians, whether one exists or not, and forestall hell on earth through some fiction that at least sounds plausible. Even MAGA true believers might heave a sigh of relief, while the liberals will all be slapping their knees and chortling "TACO!"

 

And finally, the remote possibility that the Iranians actually cave, because they haven't seen enough Hollywood endings.