US Lessons from Afghanistan Conflict Loom Large in Iran Standoff
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, a recent article published by The New York Times highlights that five years after the tumultuous US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the country’s aggressive posture toward Iran raises a familiar question: Why are American wars harder to end than to start?
The report indicates that the war in Afghanistan, which concluded five years ago amidst a tense atmosphere and casualties following the Kabul airport bombing, offers crucial lessons for decision-makers contemplating an exit strategy from the conflict with Iran. Washington had a clear opportunity to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2011 but opted against it, apparently concerned about the damage such a move would inflict on the nation’s credibility. The core challenge lies in admitting defeat after years of warfare, as seen in the protracted Afghan conflict.
Earlier, Pete Hegseth, identified as the US Secretary of War, had pledged that the conflict with Iran would differ from those in Iraq and Afghanistan, stating it would never devolve into an endless engagement. However, subsequent developments showed Iran’s resolute response to American attacks by closing the Strait of Hormuz, demonstrating that US air power was insufficient to defeat Iran or reopen the crucial waterway.
Following the failure of airstrikes as an option, the US administration has shifted to a naval blockade of Iran and economic sanctions. This approach mirrors the Afghan war strategy, where Iran is also seeking to protract the conflict. In this context, a withdrawal from engagement with Iran would be less costly than a large-scale military operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States experienced defeat in the long and expensive war in Afghanistan, a significant lesson for its current approach toward Iran. Acknowledging the limitations of American power may prove more realistic than transforming a limited operation into an extensive engagement from which withdrawal becomes exceedingly difficult.
