Trump is trapped by his own strategy as he grapples for an exit in Iran

Children play on a swing along the shore as a mix of bulk carriers, cargo ships, and service vessels line the horizon in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Bandar Abbas, Iran, on April 27.
Children play on a swing along the shore as a mix of bulk carriers, cargo ships, and service vessels line the horizon in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Bandar Abbas, Iran, on April 27. Razieh Poudat/ISNA/AP
For the sake of US service personnel in harm’s way, Iran’s defenseless civilians, Americans vexed by high gas prices and people around the world hurt economically by Trump’s war, a swift resolution is vital.

But the president’s imprecision; his apparent wish-casting about staggering diplomatic breakthroughs; and the idea that a one-page memo could hold the key to peace raise new doubts about the administration’s seriousness and capacity.