Trump pausing Iran attacks shows US military power is not enough on its own

AI Summary

Donald Trump's decision to pause a 13-night bombing campaign on Iran marks a recognition that military power alone cannot achieve U.S. objectives without ground war involvement. Despite significant casualties and widespread damage, Tehran has not been subdued, highlighting limits of U.S. military strategy.

Tehran has not been bombed into submission, leaving America unable to enforce its demands without a ground war that it does not want Has Iran won a war it didn’t start against the United States? It is not a victory in any conventional military sense: about 3,500 Iranians have been reported killed and the US-led bombing has caused anywhere between $150bn and $270bn of damage. Yet Donald Trump’s decision to pause, rather than intensify, the 13-night summer bombing campaign in effect represents a degree of recognition that the US cannot achieve its stated goals by military power alone. Continue reading...