President Donald Trump’s top aides are already scripting a victory narrative in Iran for the inevitable day when he tries to extricate himself from the war. Sasan/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images“We’re crushing the enemy in an overwhelming display of technical skill and military force,” he said of the Iran war. Often, America has seemed to be fighting different wars than its adversaries. History has lessons for IranThe mismatch in the US fight against Iran is characteristic of many of Washington’s modern wars. America’s distance from such theaters also explains why foreign wars become finite once citizens wonder why they are fighting other peoples’ battles with American blood and treasure.

Source: CNN March 11, 2026 05:39 UTC