Then Declare Victory

CNN reports

President Donald Trump said Monday he is willing to meet with Iran's leadership, without preconditions, "whenever they want," a sharp departure from his threats against the regime last week.

"I would certainly meet with Iran if they wanted to meet," Trump said during a joint news conference at the White House alongside Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. "I do believe that they will probably end up wanting to meet. I'm ready to meet whenever they want to."

"No preconditions," he added. "They want to meet, I'll meet, whenever they want."

 Linking (obviously) to the Wall Street Journal article on the same topic, Joe Scarborough tweets

1. Threaten Terrorist State
2. Meet with Terrorist State
3. Cave to Terrorist State

Rinse. Repeat. https://t.co/21lr7vbSKG

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) July 30, 2018

It was less than a month ago that we read

Many good conversations with North Korea-it is going well! In the meantime, no Rocket Launches or Nuclear Testing in 8 months. All of Asia is thrilled. Only the Opposition Party, which includes the Fake News, is complaining. If not for me, we would now be at War with North Korea!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 3, 2018

There was little or no threat- for either the USA or South Korea- of war with North Korea before the President began his twitter war on January 2 by arguing about his humongous nuclear button.  But eventually things quieted down, Trump and Kim Jong-un met in Singapore, Kim cleaned Trump's clock, and now

U.S. spy satellites have detected renewed activity at the North Korean factory that produced the country’s first intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States, a senior U.S. official said on Monday, in the midst of talks to compel Pyongyang to give up its nuclear arms.

Photos and infrared imaging indicate vehicles moving in and out of the facility at Sanumdong, but do not show how advanced any missile construction might be, the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity because the intelligence is classified.

The Washington Post reported on Monday that North Korea appeared to be building one or two new liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles at the large research facility on the outskirts of Pyongyang, citing unidentified officials familiar with intelligence reporting.

Trump could meet with Rouhani, sign a vague, meaningless deal (as he did with Kim), and pose as a peacemaker for awhile. Baghdad can put off Trump's belligerence temporarily while accelerating its nuclear program, as North Korea may be doing.

It would even divert attention- a favorite Trump device- from the Mueller investigation, child abduction by the President's border agents, and rising inflation. Everyone wins!

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