Der Krieg im Iran könnte wie der Krieg in der Ukraine werden: Wie Amerika einen Sumpf nach russischem Vorbild vermeiden kann

[Excerpt from essay by James F. Jeffrey, Philip Solondz Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He served as a Foreign Service officer in seven U.S. administrations.]

What has transpired looks more like Russia’s war in Ukraine than Washington’s quick intervention in Venezuela. The fierce Iranian response has led to a war of attrition and possible stalemate similar to the conflict in Ukraine. The United States, like Russia, does not have an obvious way to achieve a decisive victory and risks getting mired in an endless war.

To avoid the same mistakes that Russia has made, Washington will likely have to accept a compromise result in Iran. That could include agreeing to a cease-fire in exchange for permanent limitations on Iran’s enrichment of nuclear material, removal of its highly enriched uranium buried in Isfahan and elsewhere, and caps on the country’s ballistic missiles and their range. This would leave the Middle East more secure even though it would allow Iran to eventually rebuild its capability to bully its Gulf neighbors with its remaining short-range missile and drone capacity. Trump’s proposed 15-point peace plan suggests that Washington recognizes the need to find an off-ramp. But the United States needs to stay committed to this path to avoid Russia’s dire Ukraine predicament.

Oh! I’ll take „quit while they’re ahead“ for $500 Alex.