Joe Kent, the former U.S. National Counterterrorism Center director who resigned in opposition to Trump's push for war against Iran, wrote today: "The president is presenting two paths forward—either achieve a solution through negotiation, or dramatically escalate conflict.
But there is a third option, one he should choose: acknowledge that an advantageous outcome cannot be imposed by force, and simply withdraw our troops.
This region is not one the United States can unilaterally resolve. President Reagan chose this path in 1984 in Lebanon, withdrawing U.S. forces after the Beirut barracks bombing when it became clear that stabilizing the situation was impossible. His withdrawal effectively ended direct American military involvement, preventing deeper entanglement and prolonged occupation in the region.
A negotiated solution is unlikely to succeed—or be taken seriously by Iran—unless we make concessions on uranium enrichment. As we saw yesterday during the relevant hearing, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has the authority to act independently of civilian leadership, meaning they are likely to disregard any agreement reached.
Massively escalating conflict would bring devastating consequences for Iran, the region, and ultimately the United States itself. If the president chooses military force and strikes civilian infrastructure, we will create a new generation of radicalized Iranians, united behind the regime and determined to escalate the war in every possible way.
If the president targets civilian infrastructure, declares victory, then pulls out, we will only further damage America’s global standing, the dominance of the petrodollar, and ultimately undermine the dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency. We should pull back now.
Don’t double down on a failing policy. Avoid the sunk-cost fallacy—withdraw now and put America’s interests first."
Commentary: This former U.S. official sees clearly that Trump’s either-talk-or-fight approach leads nowhere. Negotiating with Iran won’t work if the U.S. refuses to compromise; launching war won’t compel Iran to yield, only deepen chaos. The Middle East is never something America can forcibly manage—interference only deepens the quagmire. Moreover, he recognizes Iran’s internal unity and resistance to coercion; the Revolutionary Guard operates with significant autonomy, so even if the Iranian government signs a deal, its armed factions won’t comply. Thus, negotiations are largely meaningless.
If the U.S. continues to escalate, not only will Iran suffer, but America will pay a heavy price—damaging its reputation, losing lives, spending vast sums, and weakening the dollar’s global role. The most rational course is to cut losses and withdraw promptly. Don’t cling to pride at the cost of self-destruction—persisting only leads to greater waste and ultimate failure.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862940365788169/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.