U.S. President Donald Trump made a big mistake when he threatened war on Iran.

He was doing that to get concessions from Iran which the country is unable to make.

Trump asks for:

1. a complete de-nuclearization of Iran,

2. strong limits on its missile programs,

3. the abolishment of Iranian support for regional allies like Hizbullah, Hamas and Shia militia in Iraq and Yemen and

4. the recognition by Iran of Israel as a legitimate country.

Under the current system of Iran any politician who would argue for or agree to making any such concessions would immediately lose legitimacy.

Trump has made threats. He then set out conditions that guarantee that he will not get what he wants. He now has two choices:

• To attack Iran until it concedes something.

• To chicken out and recall his fleet from Iran.

Neither is a good choice:

Iran has announced to retaliate for any attack by massive missile launches against Israel and U.S. positions in the Middle East. Iran has also stated that it would close the Strait of Hormuz and thereby cause sky high global oil prices. This would likely lead to heavy losses for the Republicans in the mid term elections and would eventually end up with new impeachment procedures against Trump.

To chicken out would is also not be a good choice. By resisting a threat from Trump to then see the threat retracted without having made concessions Iran would have set an example that future targets of Trump's extortion schemes would surely follow. It would make Iran look stronger and Trump look weaker.

I am by far not the only one who makes these points.