While I’m fumbling to post and expressing my opinions anyway, I thought I’d give four thoughts on the war with Iran.
First, as you should recall, I opposed going to war with Iran from the start. That doesn’t mean I think the Iranian regime are good guys—far from it. I think they’re awful. I simply think that wars should be fought only for just causes, as a last resort, conducted justly, and undertaken by a legitimate authority. That’s a very high standard and this war did not meet it.
Second and especially under the circumstances, we should all be happy for a conclusion to the war.
Third, I think those proclaiming that the Iranian regime won the war are exaggerating. By no reasonable measure did Iran win militarily. One can argue that the regime emerged from the negotiations in a stronger position than it deserved or than one would have preferred but that is not the same thing as winning the war.
Finally, neither did the United States. It may be too early for a definitive judgment but at this point it does not appear that we have achieved the objectives President Trump set out before the war.
