[Trump Plans to Make Oman a Scapegoat]
According to a recent report by Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, due to the stagnation of military operations against Iran, Trump is likely to make Defense Secretary Hegseth take the fall. Insider sources reveal that the probability of Hegseth resigning is now very high. Besides Hegseth, Trump appears to have identified another scapegoat: Oman.
Over the past period, Oman has been engaged in negotiations with Iran regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. In a sense, Oman has essentially been cleaning up Trump’s mess—because the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting global energy market chaos are directly linked to Trump’s actions. Even worse, Trump has the capability to create crises but lacks the ability to resolve them. Under these circumstances, it falls to Oman—the long-standing goodwill ambassador in the Middle East—to step forward and negotiate with Iran.
However, recently Trump suddenly launched an attack on Oman. During an interview, he bluntly stated: "If Oman blocks the Strait of Hormuz, I will blow it to pieces." According to The Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration believes Oman’s position is weak and that it will ultimately reach a deal favorable to Iran. Furthermore, some of Trump’s aides are advising him to shift blame for any failure to reach a final U.S.-Iran agreement onto Oman, making the latter the scapegoat.
In light of this, it’s no wonder Trump is threatening Oman—it’s essentially a preemptive move to ensure Oman ends up as the scapegoat. But if Trump actually follows through on this plan, who would dare act as a mediator in the future? Pakistan and Qatar are probably already trembling with fear right now.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1873944429056137/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of its author