From one day to the next, Trump's statements change - but there's method in his madness: when the oil and financial markets cough and splutter too much, he has to rein in his filthy tongue. As soon as he announced the 2-week ceasefire, the oil price dropped 15%, and stock markets surged...
Of course Trump didn't stop his war because he was worried about hedge funds losing out or speculators and oil profiteers winning.
No, his eye is on his voters and the November "mid- term" elections in the USA. Since almost all Americans are obliged to buy petrol ("gas"!) to get around, for lack of public transport, they've been horrified by the sudden increase in the price of a gallon to $4 - a rise of 60%! And hell forbid that they blame "their" President for the war he promised he'd never make!
So Trump's threatening tweet that Iran's "whole civilization would die tonight" if the regime didn't agree a deal to his liking, is withdrawn for now.
However, that should be no surprise. Trump had written in the very same "tweet", that the regime change he'd aimed at had already been achieved and that maybe there could be a very sweet deal. And vice president, JD Vance, agreed.
War Secretary Hegseth then announced a US victory and added thanks to "God" in the spirit of the ancient Christian Crusades. Indeed, blessed are the killers of innocent schoolgirls, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers...
This gallery of murderers and thieves also took credit for opening the Strait of Hormuz, even though it was already open to most tankers and cargoes, provided, of course, that they were not considered "hostile" by the Iranian leadership.
What about Lebanon?
Despite this ceasefire agreement - also observed by Lebanon's Hizbollah - the Israeli "Defence" Force has redoubled its bombing of civilian Lebanon. Overnight, Tyre was hit multiple times. Today there were at least 100 explosions in central Beirut, in addition to the pounding of the southern suburbs.
This is causing sheer terror among the whole Lebanese population. The casualties are ever- mounting. Netanyahu's government is carrying out what it claims is an operation "against Hizbollah". But the more non-Hizbollah targets his bombs and missiles intentionally hit, the more he hopes to isolate Hizbollah and undermine its support.
Not that the elite, upper, capitalist class leaders of the Christian Maronites haven't always welcomed the many Israeli attacks and occupations over the years, ever since 1948. After all, they sponsored the Phalangist terror against Muslims and Palestinians which thrust Lebanon into 14 years of civil war. It was only by arming themselves permanently, through their own militias, like Hizbollah, that this part of the population (the 60-70% who are Muslim or Druze) could manage to keep themselves secure.
Starmer's pursuit of a vote?
So what is Starmer doing in the Gulf this week? Well, obviously he is playing international statesman for the sake of his battered image... Unlike Spain's President, who said he wouldn't "applaud those who set the world on fire just because they then show up with a bucket", Starmer has welcomed Trump's Pakistan- brokered ceasefire.
In fact, his Saudi visit was already scheduled before the ceasefire - and before Trump's deal to open the Strait of Hormuz... Stamer's intention was to promote his latest "coalition of the willing" to open said Strait. But his valiant efforts have now been rendered redundant... Trump just trumped his loyal servant!
Of course, "Sir" Keir has certainly been trying to court Farage's voters, by being seen to stand loyally with Trump. But sadly for him, he is rated "one of the most unpopular prime ministers ever". And by posing with Gulf oligarchs he is unlikely to improve his own, or his party's, fortunes.
One might ask why the Gulf states are such good "friends" in the first place. They all impose inferior status on women; the UAE sponsors Rapid Support Force terror and rape in Sudan and Saudi Arabia's Bin Salman stages public executions of those who break Sharia law (and has had his critics killed). And they're all "undemocratic" hereditary dictatorships, as opposed to the iranian Islamic "Republic". Indeed, Iran only became a "terror state" after the 1979 revolution threw out the US puppet "king". Its pariah status is certainly not because of its own version of Islamic law, nor its harsh repression against opponents, but because of its 47-year long escape from under the US thumb.
Whether the end of this war will bring down the price of fuel at the pump, or energy bills and food costs - which already went up - remains to be seen. But let us be clear: the only way for the working class, here, in the US, or the Middle East, really to benefit from the cessation of US/Israeli military terror, is for us to fight the profiteers and war-mongers in our own way. By means of stoppages and strikes to force our wages up and their prices down. And to organise to build an internationalist socialist society, for a future without war.