U.S. presidents have promised short, decisive wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. All have proved much more difficult than advertised and fallen far short of the political goals set at the beginning.
U.S. troops fly over northern Afghanistan in the early days of the war in 2001. The U.S. fought its longest ever war in Afghanistan, for 20 years, only to see the Taliban retake control of the country as the U.S. withdrew in 2021.
Brennan Linsley/AP pool/AFP via Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Brennan Linsley/AP pool/AFP via Getty Images
Trump's war against Iran, while far less costly for the US compared with past military interventions in the region, could mark a…
The President promised to end what had been a quarter century of forever wars in the Middle East. Now the U.S. is mired in an…
Donald Trump has reignited the war with Iran at a time when the United States is still struggling with a dangerously depleted…
To the surprise of many, the US president seems to be doubling down, with no clear path to a settlement with Iran
America has to rethink how it moves resources, fights wars, and deters adversaries.
The United States cannot afford to pretend that a limited strike, a temporary ceasefire, or a diplomatic memorandum automatically…
Donald Trump’s Ad-Lib Strategy on Iran
Trump is falling into the old trap of an American ‘forever war’
Has Trump dragged the US into a forever war in Iran? | Mohamad Bazzi
The Costs of Trump’s Resurgent Iran War Are Rising Fast
Trump Is Finding Out About Forever War
America keeps bombing Iran. It still can't define what winning looks like
The US military campaign to stop drug trafficking has failed. It’s time to move on. - Breaking Defense
