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This is apropos a letter to the Editor titled “NATO distances itself from Trump’s Iran strategy” carried by the newspaper on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and yesterday.

For President Trump, whose leadership style has often been described as instinctive and unpredictable, this moment presents a dilemma. The rhetoric of strength and decisive action resonates with a segment of the electorate, yet the appetite for another major conflict appears limited both at home and among traditional allies. The very alliance that once amplified American power now, in this instance, constrains it.

What happens next remains uncertain. The machinery of diplomacy and deterrence continues to grind forward, even as warships maneuver and statements harden. History offers countless examples of crises that de-escalated at the last moment—and others that spiraled despite the best intentions. The difference often lies in the willingness of leaders to listen not only to their generals and strategists, but to their citizens and partners.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

Qamar Bashir

The writer is a former Press Secretary to the President, An ex-Press Minister at Embassy of Pakistan to France, a former MD, SRBC Macomb, Detroit, Michigan

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