US President Donald Trump could lose a pivotal "race against time" with Iran if America runs out of interceptors first, warned a former top US military commander, even as he postulated that the US-Israel joint strikes on Iran may be because of the POTUS's hubris. Talking to The Times, James Alexander "Sandy" Winnefeld Jr. the former vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the high-risk attacks on Tehran could be a "desperation move" ahead of the US midterm elections. Here's what he said.<h2>Trump saving himself from impeachment?</h2>Winnefeld told The Times that Operation Epic Fury could be Trump's attempt to boost his plummeting public approval ratings ahead of the crucial midterm elections. The former US military commander, who happens to be the most senior figure yet to speak out critically about the war, noted that if Trump loses control of Congress in the midterms, it could potentially lead to the POTUS's early ejection from the White House via impeachment.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-race-against-time-can-us-s-patriot-thaad-missiles-outlast-iran-s-shahed-drone-swarms-top-military-commander-warns-1772691101439">Can US' Patriot interceptors outlast Iran’ Shahed drones? Top Cmdr warns...</a>"This could be a bit of a desperation move in order to try to galvanise the American public behind him," he said. "It is entirely possible that if he loses the midterms, he will be a lame duck president, and he won’t be able to accomplish as much as he wants to on his agenda."Winnefeld stated that it was "also a real threat to him personally". He noted that there was "no question" that "there will be new investigations opened up, potentially a long, drawn-out path towards a third impeachment." This, he said, was the "last thing that Donald Trump wants".Calling the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran a "risk," the former US commander said, Trump was "taking risks with inflation if oil prices maintain a high level. He’s taking a chance with his own political base, who actually elected him on a platform of no foreign wars."Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/fact-check-is-united-states-using-indian-naval-bases-to-attack-iran-under-operation-epic-fury-1772684291682">Fact-check: Is United States using Indian naval bases to attack Iran?</a><h2>Trump could end the war, but only if...</h2>The former top US military commander said that the US-Israel-Iran war was bound to end sooner rather than later, with a "some kind of a nuclear deal to save face".According to him, one way that might happen is with mediators coming up with a way for Trump to "declare victory before he runs out of ammunition"."One way you could envision this ending is that Oman and Qatar, both of whom are close to the Iranians, step in and negotiate something where Trump is allowed to declare victory before he runs out of ammunition. Iran agrees to not enrich or export anything that it’s already enriched".

Is Donald Trump risking a wider war with Iran to save his political future?

Former US commander Sandy Winnefeld suggests the Iran strikes could be a “desperation move” before midterm elections, warning the US may face a race against time. Scroll down to read more.

US President Donald Trump could lose a pivotal "race against time" with Iran if America runs out of interceptors first, warned a former top US military commander, even as he postulated that the US-Israel joint strikes on Iran may be because of the POTUS's hubris. Talking to The Times, James Alexander "Sandy" Winnefeld Jr. the former vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the high-risk attacks on Tehran could be a "desperation move" ahead of the US midterm elections. Here's what he said. Trump saving himself from impeachment? Winnefeld told The Times that Operation Epic Fury could be Trump's attempt to boost his plummeting public approval ratings ahead of the crucial midterm elections. The former US military commander, who happens to be the most senior figure yet to speak out critically about the war, noted that if Trump loses control of Congress in the midterms, it could potentially lead to the POTUS's early ejection from the White House via impeachment. Also read | Can US' Patriot interceptors outlast Iran’ Shahed drones? Top Cmdr warns... "This could be a bit of a desperation move in order to try to galvanise the American public behind him," he said. "It is entirely possible that if he loses the midterms, he will be a lame duck president, and he won’t be able to accomplish as much as he wants to on his agenda." Winnefeld stated that it was "also a real threat to him personally". He noted that there was "no question" that "there will be new investigations opened up, potentially a long, drawn-out path towards a third impeachment." This, he said, was the "last thing that Donald Trump wants". Calling the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran a "risk," the former US commander said, Trump was "taking risks with inflation if oil prices maintain a high level. He’s taking a chance with his own political base, who actually elected him on a platform of no foreign wars." Also read | Fact-check: Is United States using Indian naval bases to attack Iran? Trump could end the war, but only if... The former top US military commander said that the US-Israel-Iran war was bound to end sooner rather than later, with a "some kind of a nuclear deal to save face". According to him, one way that might happen is with mediators coming up with a way for Trump to "declare victory before he runs out of ammunition". "One way you could envision this ending is that Oman and Qatar, both of whom are close to the Iranians, step in and negotiate something where Trump is allowed to declare victory before he runs out of ammunition. Iran agrees to not enrich or export anything that it’s already enriched".

Is Donald Trump risking a wider war with Iran to save his political future?Former US commander Sandy Winnefeld suggests the Iran strikes could be a “desperation move” before midterm elections, warning the US may face a race against time. Scroll down to read more.

Is Operation Epic Fury a 'desperation move' by Trump to win the US midterms? Ex US commander says...

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-votes-for-district-councillors-amid-anti-government-protests-263841">Hong Kong university campus</a> under siege for more than a week was a deserted wasteland on Saturday, with a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-would-be-obliterated-in-14-minutes-if-not-for-me-donald-trump-263961">handful of protesters</a> holed up in hidden refuges across the trashed grounds, as the city's focus turned to local elections.

The end of the siege at Polytechnic University on the Kowloon peninsula was approaching as some protesters desperately sought a way out and others vowed not to surrender, days after some of the worst violence since anti-government demonstrations escalated in June.

"If they storm in, there are a lot of places for us to hide," said Sam, a 21-year-old student, who was eating two-minute noodles in the cafeteria, while plotting his escape.

Police have set up high plastic barricades and a fence on the perimeter of the campus, which they have surrounded for more than a week. Early on Saturday, a Reuters witness saw three police vans drive in as about a dozen officers stood guard.

Watch: I saved lives in Hong Kong says Donald Trump

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About 1,000 people have been arrested in the siege in the Chinese-ruled city, about 300 of them younger than 18.

A single armed Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldier stood guard inside the Gun Club Hill Barracks next to the police fence on the edges of the university.

Rotting rubbish and boxes of unused petrol bombs littered the grounds, where many levels of the buildings resemble abandoned hideouts littered with items such as rucksacks, masks and water bottles.

In the early hours of Saturday, fire department officers inspected part of a sewer system through which some students had tried to flee earlier in the week, leaving backpacks, masks and other belongings scattered nearby.

The university standoff is nearing an end as a record 1,104 people gear up to run for 452 district council seats in elections on Sunday.

A record 4.1 million Hong Kong people, from a population of 7.4 million, have enrolled to vote, spurred in part by registration campaigns during months of protests.

Young pro-democracy activists are now running in some of the seats that were once uncontested and dominated by pro-Beijing candidates.

The protests snowballed from June after years of resentment over what many residents see as Chinese meddling in freedoms promised to Hong Kong when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Beijing has said it is committed to the "one country, two systems" formula by which Hong Kong is governed. It denies meddling in the affairs of the Asian financial hub and accuses foreign governments of stirring up trouble.

In an interview with Fox News Channel on Friday, US President Donald Trump said he had told Chinese President Xi Jinping that crushing the protests would have "a tremendous negative impact" on efforts to end the two countries' 16-month-long trade war.

"If it weren't for me Hong Kong would have been obliterated in 14 minutes," Trump said, without offering any evidence.

"He's got a million soldiers standing outside of Hong Kong that aren't going in only because I ask him, 'Please don't do it, you'll be making a big mistake, it's going to have a tremendous negative impact on the trade deal,' and he wants to make a trade deal."

A Hong Kong university campus under siege for more than a week was a deserted wasteland on Saturday, with a handful of protesters holed up in hidden refuges across the trashed grounds, as the city's focus turned to local elections.

A Hong Kong university campus under siege for more than a week was a deserted wasteland on Saturday, with a handful of protesters holed up in hidden refuges across the trashed grounds, as the city's focus turned to local elections. The end of the siege at Polytechnic University on the Kowloon peninsula was approaching as some protesters desperately sought a way out and others vowed not to surrender, days after some of the worst violence since anti-government demonstrations escalated in June. "If they storm in, there are a lot of places for us to hide," said Sam, a 21-year-old student, who was eating two-minute noodles in the cafeteria, while plotting his escape. Police have set up high plastic barricades and a fence on the perimeter of the campus, which they have surrounded for more than a week. Early on Saturday, a Reuters witness saw three police vans drive in as about a dozen officers stood guard. Watch: I saved lives in Hong Kong says Donald Trump × About 1,000 people have been arrested in the siege in the Chinese-ruled city, about 300 of them younger than 18. A single armed Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldier stood guard inside the Gun Club Hill Barracks next to the police fence on the edges of the university. Rotting rubbish and boxes of unused petrol bombs littered the grounds, where many levels of the buildings resemble abandoned hideouts littered with items such as rucksacks, masks and water bottles. In the early hours of Saturday, fire department officers inspected part of a sewer system through which some students had tried to flee earlier in the week, leaving backpacks, masks and other belongings scattered nearby. The university standoff is nearing an end as a record 1,104 people gear up to run for 452 district council seats in elections on Sunday. A record 4.1 million Hong Kong people, from a population of 7.4 million, have enrolled to vote, spurred in part by registration campaigns during months of protests. Young pro-democracy activists are now running in some of the seats that were once uncontested and dominated by pro-Beijing candidates. The protests snowballed from June after years of resentment over what many residents see as Chinese meddling in freedoms promised to Hong Kong when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Beijing has said it is committed to the "one country, two systems" formula by which Hong Kong is governed. It denies meddling in the affairs of the Asian financial hub and accuses foreign governments of stirring up trouble. In an interview with Fox News Channel on Friday, US President Donald Trump said he had told Chinese President Xi Jinping that crushing the protests would have "a tremendous negative impact" on efforts to end the two countries' 16-month-long trade war. "If it weren't for me Hong Kong would have been obliterated in 14 minutes," Trump said, without offering any evidence. "He's got a million soldiers standing outside of Hong Kong that aren't going in only because I ask him, 'Please don't do it, you'll be making a big mistake, it's going to have a tremendous negative impact on the trade deal,' and he wants to make a trade deal."

University campus siege nears end as Hong Kong gears up for election

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Is Operation Epic Fury a 'desperation move' by Trump to win the US midterms? Ex US commander says...

University campus siege nears end as Hong Kong gears up for election