People at the Eid al-Adha protest held in London on March 15, 2026

The only lesson humanity has learned from history is that humanity never learns from history.

This statement could not be more fitting to describe Washington today.

The war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran has entered a feverish phase. Amidst the smoke, what we see is not just a military conflict, but a complete strategic miscalculation and a blatant disregard for the bloody lessons of the past two decades.

Washington seems to suffer from severe "amnesia." It has forgotten the quagmire of Iraq, the destruction of Syria, the humiliation of Afghanistan, and the chaos of Libya. When the US once used the banners of "democracy," "counter-terrorism," and "human rights" to carry out regime change in the Middle East, what did it leave behind?

It left internal chaos, ethnic divisions, a breeding ground for terrorism, countless displaced refugees, a devastated economy, and endless hatred.

Now, Washington is trying the same old tricks again. Only this time, the reason is more naked: to secure Israel's "long-term security."

I. A Dangerous Gamble: Treating Iran Like Libya?

This time, the US's opponent is Iran.

If Washington thinks Iran is another soft peach that can be easily manipulated, it is gravely mistaken.

Iran is not Libya or Iraq. It is a large country with over 80 million people, vast territory, and complex terrain. More importantly, Iran is not a closed and backward tribal society; it is a country with a highly educated population, strong technological foundation, and a complete industrial system.

Although Iran's political system is unique and differs from Western liberal democracies, it has strong internal resilience. Its tiered national structure, especially the deep integration of religious ideology and military power, allows this country to demonstrate extraordinary cohesion when facing external pressure.

Don't forget, Iran has survived under the iron curtain of Western sanctions for over four decades. This long-term pressure test has actually honed Iran's ability to "endure pressure." Do you think a few missiles and some assassinations will make it collapse? That's sheer fantasy.

More critically, Iran holds a card that makes the entire world hold its breath - the Strait of Hormuz.

This narrow strait is the global energy artery. Twenty percent of the world's oil supply passes through here. If Iran decides to block the strait or even make insurance companies reluctant to cover oil tankers passing through, global oil prices would surge instantly. Now, oil prices have already broken through the $100 per barrel mark.

This is not just a crisis in the Middle East; it is a nightmare for the entire world. Any strategy aimed at dismantling Iran will ultimately backfire on the global economy, making every ordinary person pay the price for Washington's madness.

II. Trump's "Change of Face" and Strategic Confusion

In this crisis, President Trump's performance has reached the peak of "magical realism."

Do you remember? Just a few months ago, Trump was boasting about his "peace initiatives" and even hinted that he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. He solemnly promised that the US would no longer participate in "eternal wars" and wanted children to return home.

Yet, in an instant, he became the one who pressed the war button.

In June 2025, Trump announced the destruction of Iran's nuclear facilities, claiming a "glorious victory." However, just weeks before the conflict broke out, he had secretly negotiated with Iran through Oman as an intermediary. While negotiating, he attacked; while holding out a olive branch, he also wielded cruise missiles. This schizophrenic approach left people bewildered.

Even more concerning is that Trump's goals seem to keep shifting.

Initially, he said it was to eliminate the nuclear threat. Later, it became to curb the missile program. Then, it turned into cutting off Iran's support for Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Now, as the conflict becomes entrenched, his tone has risen dramatically, even calling for Iran's "unconditional surrender."

This is very awkward. If you can't clearly state your ultimate goal, how do you expect to win a war?

According to reports, after a classified briefing in the Senate, even American legislators felt disappointed and confused. They didn't know what the government really wanted or where the end of this war was.

Trump seems to have fallen into a logical trap. He wants to show strength without committing ground forces; he wants to overthrow the regime but says "regime change is not the goal." These contradictory statements not only confuse allies but also expose the US's bluff to its opponents.

He even naively believed that the small tricks he played in Venezuela, such as "kidnapping a president and changing the regime," could be replicated in Iran. The result? Iran's supreme leader remains seated calmly, the military command system operates normally, and missiles continue to hit US bases and Israeli cities one after another.

III. Moral Collapse: From "Precision Strikes" to "Killing Schoolchildren"

The most brutal aspect of war is that it strips away all disguises, revealing the ugliest side of human nature.

In this conflict, the actions of the US and its allies are crossing the底线 of human morality.

Data shows that over 6,000 Iranian targets have been struck. Among these are not only military facilities but also a large number of civilian infrastructure. Schools, hospitals, residential areas have all become targets of bombing.

The most abhorrent incident is the missile attack on a school. A missile directly hit a girls' school, killing 165 girls and injuring many others.

Blood stained the desks, and cries shattered conscience.

Facing such a tragedy, a former commander of the US Central Command casually said that the responsibility for attacking Iranian schools was "not an important issue."

What kind of words are those? Are they words spoken by a human being?

At the moment of life's loss, in the face of children's blood, someone still says "it's not important"? This cold-bloodedness and arrogance completely reveal the cruelty inherent in certain Western politicians. They treat lives as numbers and disasters as stakes, willing to trample all civilizational norms for geopolitical games.

This behavior has not only drawn strong condemnation from the international community but has also sparked significant controversy within the United States. When American parents see innocent children die abroad, don't they think of their own children? When American values are so brutally trampled, how long can the image of a "just army" last?

IV. Selfish Shift: For Votes, You Can Abandon Principles

In this chaos, there is another detail that is extremely ironic.

As oil prices soared, domestic political pressure in the United States increased sharply. After all, gasoline prices directly affect the wallets of American citizens and the fate of the Republicans in the upcoming midterms.

Therefore, the Trump administration performed a brilliant "U-turn."

Previously, the US imposed a 25% punitive tariff on India for purchasing Russian oil, constantly accusing it of funding "Putin's war machine." But now, to lower oil prices, the US suddenly announced the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil and gave India a 30-day exemption, allowing it to purchase Russian oil extensively.

A second ago, it was a "judge of justice"; a second later, it became a "compromiser of interests."

What is this? This is not foreign policy; it is naked election calculations!

To save the Republican votes and prevent American drivers from complaining about high fuel prices, Washington can unhesitatingly abandon its previous principles and even indirectly support its so-called "enemy." This extreme selfishness and short-sightedness have completely ruined America's international credibility.

This also once again proves a truth: On the chessboard of great powers, so-called "rules" and "morality" are often just tools serving self-interest. When useful, they are revered as sacred; when not useful, they are discarded like trash.

V. The Sunset of Hegemony, the Return of Reason

The fires of war in the Middle East are still burning.

But this war is destined to have no winners. Iran will not collapse, the US will not retreat unscathed, and Israel's security will not be truly secured by bombing.

On the contrary, this war is accelerating the decline of American hegemony. It has made the world see Washington's hypocrisy, confusion, and incompetence. It has made allies heartbroken, opponents vigilant, and neutral countries awaken.

The spirit of the UN Charter has been cast aside, and the role of the Security Council has been marginalized. When war is driven solely by the security anxiety of a specific country, ignoring the overall interests of the world, disaster is already inevitable.

Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz is like a sword of Damocles hanging over the global economy. It warns the world: In this era of interdependence, no country can remain untouched, and no hegemon can act recklessly.

Trump's "America First" may eventually turn into "America Isolated." His old approach of maintaining order through military deterrence and regime change has reached its end.

The world needs dialogue, respect, and multilateral cooperation, not unilateral bombings.

If Washington continues to be stubborn and keeps running down the wrong path, what awaits it will not only be the quagmire of the Middle East, but also a global strategic failure.

Fire tests gold, and also reveals the true form.

In this fire of the Middle East, the true form of American hegemony has been fully exposed.

For all of humanity, only by abandoning the old thinking of zero-sum games and returning to the path of reason and peace can we avoid common destruction. Otherwise, when the oil spills of the Strait of Hormuz spread globally, and the tide of war refugees floods borders, no one will escape the disaster.

This is not only the tragedy of Iran, but also the sorrow of humanity.

May peace come soon, and may the lives lost unjustly awaken the sleeping conscience.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7618508001200046627/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.