It looks like the war with Iran has moved back to the diplomacy stage, and I’m seeing the question “Was it worth it?” Obviously spending 47 years on the defensive didn’t accomplish anything – and I am fairly certain that you can’t win a war without going on the offensive. As I think back on those 47 years, the interaction between the US and Iran seems like an individual dealing with a narcissist – a narcissist picks and putdowns until he provokes a reaction, then claims the target’s response shows that the narcissist has been correct.
The Iranians have been fighting above their weight for a long time with bombings, missiles, and their proxies – spots where it is difficult to prove the connection. Defense against these things (remember, on May 6 a New York court convicted an Iranian assassin) doesn’t prevent them from recurring. I can’t guarantee that this offensive war will result in the Islamic Republic standing down – but I feel fairly confident that continuing to play defense would accomplish nothing.
Was it worth it? I hope so. I had hopes that our forces would take Kharg Island and sell oil until the cost of the war was covered. It might have been a good time to come out as a Pirate Empire – after all, that worked for Rome (until it didn’t).
Maryland Senator Robert Harper coined the phrase “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.” Then President Jefferson sent some fast frigates over to the Mediterranean and a handful of US Marines, under Lieutenant Pressley O’Bannon took Derna, in eastern Libya. Definitely an offensive war – the Marines got the Mameluke sword and put “the shores of Tripoli” into their hymn. The (Islamic) pirates decided to leave American ships alone. But defense would not have changed their behavior.
I guess that is what will answer the question – will the Islamic Republic of Iran change behavior. I don’t care about their beliefs – will they change their behavior? If they do, we will probably look at the War with Iran as similar to the War with the Barbary Pirates. But war is a money loser.
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