Trump’s Capitulation: Hegseth Loses his First War.

President Trump signed the Memorandum of Agreement with Iran at a Versailles Palace dinner party last evening. From one image, it looks like the dinner plates, silverware, and crystal wine glasses had been shoved aside so that Trump, grasping an extra large sharpie, could sign the document. Reminds me of a family dinner and getting my parents to sign my report card.

A lone candle and table top flower arrangements were the official props for this sad bit of presidential theatrics, a sad masquerade intending to display strength and power, but in reality, signifying a humiliating a defeat for America.

Didn’t Nixon sign some peace accord in France?

Why Trump would use a dinner party at Versailles to sign the Memorandum of Understanding is bewildering, considering that the last signing of the Treaty of Versailles, signed over a century ago, was a keystone in the the rise of Nazis Germany and World War Two. The agreement is mostly a one-side capitulation to Iran. There a number of 30- and 60- day sticks and carrots in the agreement, but mostly carrots. It reflects Trump’s desire to extract himself out of his self made briar patch.

Trump’a trashing of Obama’a deal with Iran cascaded into an avalanche of disasters: The deaths of tens of thousands, including 13 servicemen and women in this immediate war. The expenditure of 100s of billions of taxpayer dollars. A critical shortage of weapons to defend our homeland. And unforeseen consequences of disengaging from dialogue with Iran: the Hamas to attack Israel on Oct 7 and the destruction of Gaza in Israels war of retribution against Hamas and the death of over 50,000 Palestinians.

Iran would never have permitted Hamas to attack Israel, I argue, if the Obama deal — the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOAO) — and dialogue were in force. These horrific wars and deaths are the consequence of Trump’s racial animus towards Obama, his rank amateurism, hubris, and plain stupidity.

Below are some key points of America’s agreement with Iran:

And I thought it wasn’t a War: MOU calls for the “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts.” A final deal to follow to confirm the “permanent termination of the war.”

No Regime Change: The U.S. promises not to “interfere in each other’s internal affairs.”

The Retreat of U.S. Forces: The “U.S. will undertake to remove its forces from the proximity to Iran within 30 days of the final deal.”

Ending the U.S. Naval Blockade: The US will begin the removal of its naval blockade.

“Best Efforts” to Open the Strait of Hormuz that weren’t closed before the war: Iran “will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman.”

No Tolls but Fees?: “Iran will consult with Iran to define future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz.”

A modern Marshal Plan: The U.S and others will develop a plan with a least $300 billion for the reconstruction and economic development of Iran.

Ending Sanctions on Iran: The U.S. will undertake to terminate all types of sanctions against Iran in an agreed upon schedule as part of the final deal.

No Nuke Promise: Iran reaffirms that it shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons. Pending the final deal, Iran can maintain it current “status quo “of its nuclear program.

The Obama Plan Redo: Blending down of the enriched uranium will done under the supervision of the IAEA. Where have I seen IAEA oversight before? Wait, wait, it will come to me.

No New Sanctions on Iran’s Nuke Program: “The U.S. will not impose any new sanctions and will not deploy additional forces in the region.”

Waivers or Iran Exporting Crude Oil: The U.S. will “issue waivers” for the export of Iranian crude oil pending termination of the sanctions.

Let it Go, Let it Go, unfreezing Iran’s assets: Iran’s frozen or restricted assets or funds: The US will make them all fully available pending additional negotiations.

Now He Needs the United Nations: The final deal will be endorsed by the United Nations Security Council Resolution.

The full MOU:

1 — The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran and their allies in the current war, by signing this MOU, declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other, and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon and other provisions of this paragraph.

2 — The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran undertake to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to refrain from interfering in each other’s internal affairs.

3 — The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran commit to negotiating and achieving the final deal in maximum 60 days, expendable with mutual consent.

4 — Immediately upon the signing of this MOU, the United States of America will begin the removal of its naval blockade and any disturbances or impediments against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will fully end the naval blockade within 30 days. During this period, the traffic of vessels will be in proportion to the numbers of pre-war traffic being restored by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America further undertakes to remove its forces from the proximity of the Islamic Republic of Iran within 30 days after the final deal.

5 — Upon the signing of this MOU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa. The traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start, and considering the need for removing the technical and military obstacles and demining by the Islamic Republic of Iran, will be instated within 30 days. The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, in discussion with other Persian Gulf littoral states in line with the applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz.

6 — The United States of America undertakes with regional partners to develop a definitive, mutually agreed plan with at least USD $300 billion for the reconstruction and economic development of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The mechanism for the implementation of this plan will be finalized as part of a final deal within 60 days. All required licenses, waivers, and permissions needed for the relevant financial transactions will be granted by the United States of America.

7 — The United States of America undertakes to terminate all types of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the United Nations Security Council resolutions, IAEA Board of Governors resolutions, and all unilateral U.S. sanctions—primary and secondary—in an agreed upon schedule as part of the final deal. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America acknowledge the critical importance of the sanctions termination issue above mentioned and expressed their intentions to immediately address these issues in the negotiations in order to achieve mutual agreement on them.

8 — The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms that it shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to resolve the disposition of stockpile enriched material pursuant to a mechanism that will be mutually agreed upon in accordance with the schedule mentioned in paragraph seven, with the minimum methodology to be down blending on site under the supervision of the IAEA. The two parties also agreed to discuss the issue of enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear needs, based on a satisfactory framework being agreed upon in the final deal. The final deal will confirm the provisions of this paragraph. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran acknowledged the critical importance of the nuclear issues above mentioned and expressed their intention to immediately address these issues in the negotiations in order to achieve mutual agreement on them.

9 — Pending the final deal, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree to maintain the status quo. The Islamic Republic of Iran will maintain the current status quo of its nuclear program and the United States of America will not impose any new sanctions and will not deploy additional forces in the region.

10 — The United States of America undertakes that immediately upon the signing of this MOU and until the termination of sanctions, the U.S. Department of Treasury will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products and derivatives, and all associated services, including banking transactions, insurances, transportation, etc.

11 — The United States of America undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Upon the implementation of the MOU, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran will mutually agree on the procedures related to the release of these funds during the negotiations. Such funds, whether retained in the original account or transferred, shall be made fully usable for payment to any ultimate beneficiary designated by the central bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America undertakes to issue all the necessary licenses and authorizations accordingly.

12 — The United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran agree that an executive mechanism will be established to monitor the successful implementation of this MOU and the future compliance of the final deal.

13 — After signing this MOU, and subject to the beginning of the implementation of paragraphs 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11 of this MOU, and the continuing implementation of these measures, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran will start negotiations regarding the final deal exclusively on the other paragraphs.

14 — The final deal will be endorsed by a binding United Nations Security Council resolution.