"Escalation Trap": Robert Pape Blasts Bessent's "Economic D-Day" Targeting Iran University of Chicago professor Robert Pape tore into Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's so-called "Economic D-Day" campaign against Iran, branding it a dangerous "escalation trap" that history shows will not force Tehran to fold, and may instead drag the United States deeper into war. Appearing recently on the "Breaking Points" podcast, Pape, a longtime scholar of air power, blockades and sanctions, argued that Bessent is selling maximum economic pressure as an alternative to more fighting. "That's not what it is," Pape told "Breaking Points" co-host Saagar Enjeti. "What it's really going to lead to is another escalation trap. And if anything, if he in fact goes forward, it would be more military war." Pape said the measures have never on their own won a major war or toppled a government in a major conflict. The professor highlighted the British blockade of Germany in World War I and the U.S. blockade of Japan in World War II, both of which ended only after grinding ground campaigns and, in Japan's case, the atomic bombs." "Bessent is really not doing a good service to the world by saying that this is an off-ramp to escalation," Pape said. "All we need is one, sir. One case. And you know what? There's not a case." Pape also warned that targets often lash back, explaining that sanctions slapped on Japan helped produce the Pearl Harbor attack, which he called a well-known and uncontroversial point, and that tightening the noose on Iran and its trading partners, including China, risks a similar spiral in which Tehran strikes back and Washington is forced to escalate further." These are not off-ramps to war," Pape said. "They're effectively the Western way of war because they persuade liberal audiences [we've] done everything you could do, so force is a last resort." Pape's warning comes as Bessent signaled the pressure campaign against Iran is only getting started. The Treasury secretary said Sunday, ahead of a Group of 20 financial leaders meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, that new secondary sanctions will roll out every week to intensify the squeeze on Iran. "You're going to see a lot more of these every week," the top Trump official said. Last week, Bessent launched the Trump administration's long-awaited "Operation Economic Outcast," unveiling sweeping sanctions designed to sever Iran from the dollar-based financial system and punish any foreign government or entity that keeps facilitating Tehran's trade. The first wave targeted nearly 60 Iran-linked entities, individuals and vessels tied to the regime's nuclear, missile, cyber and oil networks, spanning brokerage firms, financial intermediaries and shadow-fleet ships operating across China, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Switzerland and Europe. In recent days, the U.S. Treasury blacklisted the UAE branches of Egypt's Banque Misr, alleging financial ties to Iran and money laundering, and cut those branches off from the U.S. financial system for obtaining dollars. Tyler Durden Tue, 09/01/2026 - 20:30
"Escalation Trap": Robert Pape Blasts Bessent's "Economic D-Day" Targeting Iran University of Chicago professor Robert Pape tore into Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's so-called "Economic D-Day" campaign against Iran, branding it a dangerous "escalation trap" that hâŚ
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U.S. Central Command stated that it conducted strikes on over 80 military sites along Iran's southern coast on July 7, 2026, in response to reported multi-vessel maritime attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. While the United States claims the operations targeted anti-ship missile and radar systems, independent verification of the specific scale, nature, and casualties of the campaign remains unavailable.
The U.S. military has reportedly struck two Iranian government tankers and approximately 100 other targets, following a reported presidential approval of a âtanker for tankerâ policy aimed at deterring Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. While U.
S. officials claim that recent Iranian strikes on U.S. assets failed, Iranâs Foreign Ministry has alleged that a U.S. strike on a wedding in Kuhestak killed or injured more than 50 civilians, a claim that the White House has not yet commented on.
LAEM CHABANG, Thailand â The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier arrived Wednesday at a port in eastern Thailand, where thousands of U.S. sailors and Marines are disembarking for the first time in more than 280 days after a record-setting deployment in the Middle East.
The toll of the more than nine-month deployment, most of it spent supporting military operations in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, was visible on the carrier as it pulled into Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi province. Paint has worn off and the metal underneath is rusted on the 1,092-foot warship, which is one of the largest in the world.
The Lincoln is in Thailand for a four-day ârest and relaxationâ stop on its way home to San Diego after having spent weeks in the headlines as the lengthy deployment raised concerns about supply shortages and the effect on sailorsâ mental health. The U.
S. Navy confirmed the shipâs arrival in a statement, saying the Lincoln strike group arrived in Laem Chabang while the destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. docked in nearby Sriracha and the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls went to Map Ta Phut in neighboring Rayong province.
The Navy said it was the Lincolnâs first full port stop after 286 days at sea since the deployment began in November. Thai police crackdown on sex workers âOur arrival in Laem Chabang provides a well-deserved opportunity for our sailors and Marines to rest and recharge,â said Rear Adm.
Robert E. Loughran, commander of Carrier Strike Group 3. âIt also underscores the strong and enduring partnership and alliance between the United States and Thailand.â Service members could be seen working aboard the deck of the Lincoln as loudspeakers played announcements about the process for disembarkation.
âIâm excited, as excited as you are,â a commanding officer could be heard saying over loudspeaker. About 5,000 sailors and Marines are expected to hit the streets of Pattaya, a nearby coastal resort city that is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand.
Each service member will get three âliberty daysâ and one day of duty aboard the ship, a U.S. military official said. Locals in tourism-dependent Pattaya have eagerly awaited the arrival of the Lincoln, which pulled into sight from the shore after sunrise before it made a wide turn and harbored itself at a major cargo terminal.
Officials in Pattaya, where international tourist arrivals have dropped because of travel disruptions and soaring fuel prices stemming from the conflict in the Middle East, say the visit is expected to inject about $3 million into the local economy.
Authorities have stepped up security, with heightened police patrols and checks along the roads. Businesses here are also trying to woo the sailors, with some putting up banners to welcome them. Wichai Yuankham, 35, a factory worker who came to watch the ships arrive, said the naval visit was a welcome boost to the local economy.
âI am just excited to see the destroyer docking,â he said. âThis is my first time seeing the destroyer, and I feel good seeing it, and we can boast to our neighboring countries about this.
US military officials stated that strikes on Iranian targets were conducted in response to reported attempts by Tehran to attack commercial shipping and US personnel in the Strait of Hormuz. While Iranian semi-official media reported retaliatory missile and drone launches, local officials cited claims that one US strike hit a residence, causing casualties, though these specific details remain under verification.