The U.S. has been stuck in a cycle of conflict and negotiation. Here’s how to break out of it.

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The Middle East has been engulfed in a whirlwind of chaos over the past month, not because of any novel developments in the U.S.-Iran war but rather because of a mercurial American policy led by an inconstant administration. We have bounced between amity and enmity since the first ceasefire came into effect in early April, a pattern that has only ramped up since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) in mid-June.

Mike Coté is a writer and historian focusing on great-power rivalry and geopolitics. He blogs at rationalpolicy.com, hosts the Rational Policy podcast, and can be found on Twitter @ratlpolicy.