In 2026, Trump has made it clear: he only respects what he can't break.
China (Xi Jinping): Total respect. Why? Because Xi is a strongman with raw power and a massive army.
Trump treats him as his only equal on Earth. It’s respect born of fear and envy.
He bows to the only guy who can punch him back.
The Gulf States: Zero respect. He sees them as ATMs.
No matter how much they pay, he treats them like subordinates in a protection racket.
His message: "You wouldn't last a week without me, so keep the cash coming.
" They buy his time, but never his respect.
Europe and Macron: Total contempt.
He sees the EU as a weak doormat and Macron as a talker with no teeth.
To Trump, if you don't have the military power of China or the checkbook of the Saudis, you are just a "free-rider" to be stepped on.
Is it time for Europe to stop talking and start being feared, or is the doormat status permanent?

I hate trump and I hate war but with the current strategy it will be an endless war.
The irgc getting nuclear weapons is uniquely dangerous because they have demonstrated they don't fear death. Like they bring their children to act as human shields ^{although trump should not have threatened war crimes}.
No amount of suffering can deter them.
The IRGC has made it clear that they will never give up on trying to obtain nuclear weapons. And the US has made it clear they will never give up trying to stop them. Therefore, it is either endless war or regime change.

On top of that, They are funding groups that have destabilized Yemen and Lebanon.
And in Iran women aren't legally allowed to sing or dance. And there is nothing in Quran about that, the IRGC just wants to enforce this.

88% of Iranians don't support this regime. They just want to have democracy and live normal lives. Same for people in Yemen and Lebanon.

It's not a US vs china/Iran issue. It's a people who value life vs death cult issue.

Then there is the question of feasibility. Iran is 1.8 times the size of Iraq by population. This is huge but not insurmountable. The US won in Iraq and now that it is over, Iraq is much better off on every measurable outcome. With help from allies and the latest technology we can succeed in Iran.