While I agree with the general notion that a lousy “deal” (scare quotes oh so very intentional) at this stage of this Iranian misventure is better than maintaining the status quo, I am finding the notion that we are about to sign a memorandum of understanding, an MOU, to be so utterly absurd.
As was correctly quipped in this morning’s open forum, this is not a real plan; it is the concept of a plan.
An MOU is just a non-binding (let that sink in) agreement to agree to talk more later about something. This is no formal peace deal.
Ever since the notion that this little excursion would end with an MOU, I have been having flashbacks to when I worked for a boss who loved him some MOUs. A possible partnership with another institution? Let’s make sure we get an MOU! A potential private partner? Let’s do an MOU!
Invariably, a very vague document to agree, as stated above, to talk some more later, was signed. If at all possible, there was a signing ceremony with a press release. And sometimes local press would attend. It was very exciting, dontcha know. Perhaps I became too cynical for my own good, but it often felt as if the photo for the press release was more important than the contents of the documents being signed (and the road to Hell was paved with unrealized MOU plans of action…).
Granting very much that the stakes of what is happening with Iran are far greater than a potential transfer agreement with a random community college, the process, optics, and skill of the participants here feel all too familiar.
One thing is certainly the same: the main goal here is to have a press event to demonstrate that yes, they are doing something.
There is a real upside, of course, with the Iran MOU, at least in the short term, which is return (hopefully) to some version of the status quo ante. This is important for the global economy, and I guess we will just have to pretend like all the death, destruction, and expenditures were worth it, even as it quite clearly was not.
Here’s one thing I am certain of: a superpower, or even a smaller power, does not launch a war with the goal of signing an MOU. It is absurd, but it is the kind of thing that one might expect from a president who is basically a real estate developer and reality TV star, as guided by a coterie of unqualified sycophants as advisors.
The actual MOU has not yet been released, but the leaked details, if accurate, amount to US capitulation and failure. I do not see a single actual US national security aim being met (killing an 86-year-old leader doesn’t count if the regime remains in power).
The absurdity of all of this is just emphasized by the amazing coincidence of this being announced on Trump’s birthday, just so as to emphasize the reality TV/kayfabe of it all. I half expected the agreement to be signed via DocuSign over the weekend so that Trump could tout that the whole thing was resolved on his special day.
Of the stomach-churning elements of this story is that there are many millions of Americans who will think that a real deal of consequence was reached, and that the US won. After all, that is what the President of the United States is going to tell them.
These are ridiculous times whose consequences we will all be living with for some time to come.
