With an explicit military objective—destroying Tehran’s missile and nuclear capabilities—the United States is sending a message that this time, it will not be “another Iraq.”
The shadow of past U.S. wars hangs over every new conflict. And the comparison begins with a decision made decades ago: in 1991, former U.S. President George H.W. Bush chose to halt the advance of American forces toward Baghdad. It was, the argument goes, one of the greatest mistakes in U.S. foreign policy—a mistake whose final chapter was written in 2021 with the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
President Donald Trump, from the outset, set what he called the primary objective: the complete and permanent elimination of Tehran’s theocratic regime, its ballistic missiles, and its nuclear program.
A “Clear, Colossal Threat”
The international community is asking two questions: first, is this a justified war? Second, was it right for the United States to start it?
Trump answers the second question himself. He said the regime constituted a “clear, colossal threat” because of its ballistic missile programs. He called it an “unbearable threat” to the Middle East and to “the American people.” Therefore, the argument follows, the war is justified.
The Wall Street Journal notes that the war should continue “for as long as necessary” to ensure that—even if the regime does not fall—it is no longer a threat to its neighbors. And perhaps, the paper suggests, it could be weakened enough that its people can gather the capacity to establish a government that wants to be a normal nation again, rather than one that seeks to export revolution and kill Jews, Sunni Arabs, and Americans.
“Not Nation-Building”
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth put it more bluntly:
“Our ambitions are not utopian. They are realistic, limited to our interests and the defense of our people and our allies. This is not Iraq. This is not endless… it is the opposite. This operation has a clear, destructive, decisive mission: destroy the missile threat, destroy the navy—no nation-building.”
The Cynical, Simple Goal
There is no space here for chapters on rebuilding a failed-state Iran or installing a puppet leadership.
The goal is cynical—but also very simple: destroy the threat permanently. Eliminate the mullahs.
The U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff pointed to America’s capabilities:
“After 57 hours of operations in the initial phase, CENTCOM’s focus was the systematic targeting of Iranian command and control, infrastructure, naval forces, ballistic missile sites, and intelligence infrastructure—designed to stun and confuse them.”
He continued:
“Operation Epic Fury is a reminder of what the United States military uniquely delivers: the ability to project power on a global scale with speed, surprise, precision, and overwhelming force, when and where our nation requires it. What we have demonstrated in recent days reflects years of investment in readiness, joint integration, and the professionalism of the joint force.”
In other words, the message has been received by would-be “hegemon” leaders: the United States is back—militarily.
Trump’s Political Message to Iranians
And Trump’s central political message could not be clearer:
“To the great and proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is approaching… Now is the moment to take control of your destiny and unlock the prosperous and glorious future that is near, within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it be lost.”
What remains, the text concludes, is for the U.S. military to extend that helping hand.
