The Trump administration keeps emphasizing that the U.S. military is by an overwhelming margin the most powerful in the world.
And I have no doubt that by conventional ways of measurement that is a true statement.
But when it comes to whether the U.S. will “win” the war with Iran, regardless of how strong our military may be, there are some historical precedents that are relevant.
People my age remember the Vietnam War. In that case we were also assured by our government that our military was far superior to that of our enemy. Accordingly, the U.S. bombed and bombed, but the war never seemed to end.
Instead, the Vietnamese pursued unconventional means and eventually overcame the U.S. advantage to win the war.
Although Iran’s military may be far inferior to the U.S.’s, it is employing drones and other relatively inexpensive technologies to attack targets in the Strait of Hormuz and the neighboring countries that house U.S. military facilities.
It is not a random thought that Iran may prevail in the end, at least to the extent Trump ends the conflict, declares “victory” and moves his attention elsewhere, perhaps to Cuba.
Such a victory declared by Trump would be, of course, pyrrhic in nature. And only the latest reminder of what happened in Vietnam.
HEADLINES:
Iranian Military Shows It Knows How to Adapt, U.S. Officials Say (NYT)
US bases will be attacked unless closed, says Khamenei (Al Jazeera)
Will Iran break MAGA? (Silver Bulletin)
The Iran war has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil chokepoint. Reopening it is a big challenge (AP)
Ships attacked near key shipping lane as Iran launches its ‘most intense’ strikes of the war (NBC)
Three Ships Hit Near Strait of Hormuz as Iran Tries to Choke Off Oil Traffic (WSJ)
U.S. forces sink 16 Iranian minelayers as reports say Tehran is mining the Strait of Hormuz (CNBC)
U.S. at Fault in Strike on School in Iran, Preliminary Inquiry Says (NYT)
Iran’s new supreme leader is injured but reportedly ‘safe’ as traders sour on war exit strategy (Fortune)
How Iran Is Building a Religious Mythology Around Its New Supreme Leader (WSJ)
Countries agree to record release of emergency oil reserves as prices surge (BBC)
Local officials confirm FBI warning of Iranian plot to attack California with drones (SFC)
Everything Trump Touches Dies: Oil Edition (Bulwark)
Iran war becomes a contest of who can take the most pain (AP)
U.S. Gas Prices Jump for 11th Straight Day, and Oil Pushes Higher (NYT)
Two drones came down in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport, injuring four people, Dubai’s media office said, as attacks on infrastructure across the Gulf continued on the 12th day of the Iran crisis, which has caused widespread disruption to global air traffic. (Reuters)
Drone hits U.S. diplomatic facility in Iraq, official says; no known casualties (WP)
Arizona Is Now at the Center of Election Investigations (Atlantic)
Pete Hegseth’s Defense Department Blew $22M On Steak and Lobster in a Single Month, Watchdog Claims (Yahoo)
Trump’s Assault on Higher Education Has Hit a Snag (Atlantic)
Ukraine Reaches a Milestone: Making ‘China-Free’ Drones (NYT)
Pentagon bars press photographers over ‘unflattering’ Hegseth photos (WP)
‘Forever chemicals’ contaminate nearly 40% of non-organic California-grown produce (EWG)
Even the most radical anti-abortion lawmakers (with a few exceptions) have made it clear that pregnant women should not be criminalized for abortions, let alone pregnancy loss due to miscarriage. But it seems prosecutors and police haven’t gotten the memo, HuffPost's Alanna Vagianos reports. [HuffPost]
How UC Berkeley’s veteran student newspaper covers the campus in turbulent times (Berkeleyside)
Rosanna Arquette: ‘I paid a price for saying no to Harvey Weinstein’ (Times)
As AI data centers scale, investigating their impact becomes its own beat (Nieman)
Play It Again, Claude (Atlantic)
‘Which Way Is Iran?’ Asks Pantsless, Sword-Wielding Trump Wandering On Side Of Freeway (Onion)
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