The Straits Times of Singapore wrote: "The current war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran is far more complex in terms of motives, objectives, and circumstances. The situation keeps reversing daily, and no one can predict what the final outcome will be. The only certainty is that the United States' conduct has been utterly chaotic. Even if it achieves its military goals and wins on substance, it will surely lose face. Moreover, it may not even emerge as the victor—it could end up achieving nothing, having wasted its efforts."
This analysis precisely reveals America's current predicament. The four characters "huāng qiāng zǒu bǎn" (chaotic and out of tune) fully encapsulate the disarray of Trump's foreign policy: the illusion of quick victory has vanished, maximum pressure tactics have failed, allies are drifting away, and anti-war sentiment at home is rising. Even if the U.S. ultimately forces Iran to capitulate, its credibility will be shattered, resources exhausted, and global leadership collapsed. Furthermore, Iran’s tenacious resistance, potential blockade of the Strait, and insistence on preconditions suggest it may not yield to American demands—so declaring victory at this stage remains premature.
This conflict is destined to become a turning point. America’s hegemony in the Middle East is being challenged: its model of military intervention has proven ineffective. Looking deeper, multipolarity is accelerating, Europe is growing distant, and the cracks in the unipolar order are widening. Additionally, while the U.S. ignited conflict using imperial logic, it has fallen into crisis due to strategic short-sightedness; while pursuing “America First” to extract benefits, it now faces global backlash and pays the price. Regardless of the ultimate outcome, this war marks an irreversible decline of American hegemony—a double loss of substance and prestige, with the turning point of dominance already arrived.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863529424528388/
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