Mark Halperin

Public opinion matters more now.

Some people say, well, the president can negotiate his way out of this.

The problem with that is who do you negotiate with in Iran?

And are they trustworthy?

The reason this conflict started was because the president's advisors told him we can't trust the Iranians.

They're not trustworthy partners.

Now, maybe in the new leadership, there's trustworthy partners, but that's going to be hard to imagine given the control of the regime and the ascension of the Ayatollah's son.

So it probably can't end that way.

And now...

It can't end by the president walking away, which is what I thought was going to happen.

I thought he was just going to say to Israel, we're done.

Wash my hands of this.

We got a lot done.

If we need to come back, we will.

But let's take a pause and see how it goes.

Maybe see if the Iranian people rise up.

There's too much credibility on the line now, I think.

And then the Strait has to be open.

Iran now, we know, has the wherewithal and the willingness to shut down the Strait.

So I don't think the U.S.