By almost any measure, President Donald Trump’s war on Iran has been a catastrophic failure. Thousands of Iranian civilians and 13 American service members have been killed. Iran’s shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has resulted in the largest oil supply disruption in history. As fuel, food, and fertilizer prices rise, a potential global recession is in the offing. U.S. credibility with allies in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East has been severely damaged.
The Pentagon recently reported the U.S. has spent $25 billion on the war—an undoubtedly conservative figure, as some estimates suggest the price tag is three times higher—while already-strained U.S. munitions stockpiles have been further depleted. Yet, the United States has achieved none of its strategic goals and has admitted that its aim now is to restore the status quo ante in the strait.
But amid all these pointless losses, there is a silver lining for U.S. interests and Middle East security. The United States may have no choice now but to retrench from the region, a decision Washington should have made long ago.
Read at The American Conservative
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