Right, so there he is, Donald Trump, locked, loaded, talking as if he is about to star in a low-budget action film that nobody really wanted.

Ready to go. Ready to launch another so-called 'massive' attack on Iran. Ready to flatten bridges, power stations, military sites, and whatever else the Pentagon's restless interns managed to jot down on the target list while appearing busy.

Except he did not.

The Pentagon, always eager, lined up a fourteenth consecutive night of airstrikes, slid the plan across the Resolute Desk, and Trump-believe it or not-actually refused to approve it.

And no, it is not because the Cheeto-dusted Commander-in-Chief suddenly found a conscience. It is because JD Vance and General Dan Caine reportedly raised the rather basic point that actions have consequences. Caine's warning was not that America c ...