Pakistan, Sept. 6 -- The power rule of weakness is simple: a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. You cannot fight on two frontiers at the same time without exposing the weaknesses of your strategy. Diplomatically, negotiations are taking much longer than expected, while on the war front, two separate theatres are testing the Trump administration's ability to manoeuvre events in the right direction. The reasons may be many, but Trump's wildcards have little experience in this kind of difficult negotiation. They may possess strong business instincts, but recent events have demonstrated a rather pathetic display of diplomatic engagement. The sum, therefore, remains uncertain.

As narrated by Trump and White House spokespersons, the ...