On: Has Trump lost control of the Iran war?

The situation, as it was presented to me over the morning kipper, struck me as a classic tangle of the most intricate order. One had the impression of a committee - let us call it the International Drones Club - where the chairman, a chap of forceful opinions, had made a rather bold proposal about the flower arrangements. This, naturally, caused a reaction from another member with strong views on horticulture, and before you could say “regatta,” potted plants were being lobbed across the room. The question of whether the chairman has “lost control” of the debate is, I feel, rather missing the point. The point is that everyone is now speaking at once, and the original motion about the petunias has been quite forgotten.

It has all the hallmarks of a scenario where a Jeeves would be invaluable. The present difficulty is not, I suspect, the one they are all shouting about. It is likely some older, quieter misunderstanding - a matter of a borrowed lawnmower in 1987, or a misinterpreted remark about the cricket scores - that has festered. The current exchange of missiles is merely the loud and inconvenient symptom. No one is a villain here; they are all simply fellows who have found themselves in a frightfully complicated spot, each believing his next move is the only logical one.

I maintain a sunny view. These things always look darkest just before the elegant solution presents itself. Somewhere, in a quiet room, there is a chap with an impassive expression who has already perceived that the entire crisis could be resolved by the strategic removal of a certain aunt to the seaside for a fortnight, or by the unexpected but timely victory of a minor county at bowls. The tangle must achieve its full glorious complexity before the exit becomes visible. It is, I am sure, already there. One must simply wait for the right person to clear his throat and say, “If I might suggest…”