How do you feel about bombing the sh*t out of Oman? That is what President Trump proposed this week after the Gulf state entered into direct negotiations with Iran regarding control of the Strait. Well, it’s not a good sign that the war of aggression with Iran may now extend to Oman, which is considered a U.S. ally. Quietly, however, the Pentagon may be considering reducing America’s military presence in the Persian Gulf after the Iran war. So while military officials contemplate pulling back from a region that has become increasingly dangerous for American forces, the president is publicly threatening to bomb yet another country, and a U.S. ally at that! And therein lies the embarrassment for the United States: Oman is trying to accomplish what Washington has failed to do. Direct negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have stalled, their memorandum of understanding has expired without an extension, and the Strait remains largely closed, despite the President’s claims to the contrary. Oman and Iran, the two countries bordering the Strait, have now stepped into that diplomatic vacuum and are negotiating their own mechanism for restoring maritime traffic. Instead of welcoming an agreement that could reopen one of the world’s most important shipping routes, lower oil prices and create an opening for renewed peace talks, Trump threatened to bomb the country trying to negotiae it. The consequences of America’s failure are already being felt at home. Oil prices jumped after Trump said there were no plans for a ceasefire or renewed negotiations with Iran. That means higher gasoline, diesel, airfare and shipping costs for Americans, all because Washington cannot end the war it started or control what happens next. The post We’re Winning—So Let’s Bomb an Ally! appeared first on Redacted.