Without a clear explanation for Mr. Trump’s behavior, anyone whose job requires forecasting the next American action — from foreign head of state to think tank analyst — was left guessing. If so, what were the plans for winning each demand, and the metrics for measuring whether those plans were working? American action on the ground deepened confusion. “There’s been no talk of, say, ‘If you do this, then we’ll bring back waivers,’” Ms. Kaye said, referring to American waivers allowing other countries to buy Iranian oil. Even if each action might be defensible on its own, experts and foreign officials have strained to match them with a consistent set of motives and objectives.

Source: New York Times January 06, 2020 12:47 UTC