Richard Michael Blaberhttps://theconversation.com/donald-trumps-new-15-point-plan-is-the-biggest-sign-yet-that-washington-fears-it-is-losing-this-war-279001; https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/17/joe-kent-resigns-director-national-counterterrorism-center. "The most immediate problem is lack of #legitimacy. This #war has authorisation from neither the #UnitedNations or, in the case of #America, the #USCongress. Further, #US #intelligence #assessments indicate #Iran was not rebuilding its #nuclear programme following earlier strikes - contradicting one of Washington’s justifications for war."
"Wars are not won by destroying capabilities alone, but by securing #sustainable & #legitimate #political #outcomes. On both counts, the #US & #Israel are falling short. #Iran, by contrast, does not need #military #victory. It only needs to endure, impose #costs, & outlast its adversaries. This is the #logic of #asymmetric #conflict: the weaker power wins by not losing, while the stronger one loses when the costs of continuing become #unsustainable."