NYT: Trump’s Iran Policy Sparks ’Endless War’

The report argues that despite Trump's repeated promises to avoid another "forever war" in West Asia, the ongoing war on Iran is showing many of the characteristics that prolonged previous US military engagements in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

The war launched by the US and the "Israeli" occupation has shifted between aggression and intermittent diplomatic efforts. According to the NYT, neither approach has achieved Trump's publicly stated objectives of bringing about regime change in Iran or ending Tehran's nuclear program.

Instead, the war has created a new strategic challenge centered on the Strait of Hormuz, where tensions over maritime access continue to threaten global energy markets and regional stability.

Following the collapse of a ceasefire and the breakdown of a memorandum of understanding that Trump previously stated was accomplishing US objectives, diplomatic efforts have largely stalled, leaving Washington once again engaged in military operations.

Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, told the NYT that both Washington and Tehran viewed the memorandum differently, seeing it as "the continuation of the war by other means, not as a bridge to peace."

Vaez warned that without a sustainable political settlement, the war risks creating "the circumstances for a forever war."

The NYT further noted that the concept of America's "forever wars" emerged after the September 11 attacks, leading to the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq that ultimately failed to deliver lasting political outcomes despite high financial costs and loss of life.

Lawrence D. Freedman, emeritus professor of war studies at King's College London, told the newspaper that major powers often fall victim to the "short-war fallacy."

"They think they can win quickly and not suffer adverse consequences," Freedman said, arguing that leaders frequently underestimate the limits of military power and set objectives that can only be achieved through prolonged war.

The analysis argued that Trump faces an additional constraint by attempting to achieve strategic objectives largely through air and naval power while avoiding the politically costly deployment of US ground forces inside Iran.

The NYT contrasts the current war with the 1991 Gulf War, which it says succeeded because former US President George H.W. Bush "pursued a narrowly defined objective of expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait."

By comparison, later operations in Iraq and Afghanistan evolved into prolonged wars after broader political goals proved unattainable.

Analysts cited by the NYT said the US war on Iran marks another phase in decades of confrontation, with Trump now involved in a broader regional escalation and facing challenges in finding a path to end the war.

Moreoevr, the NYT said the Strait of Hormuz could prolong US involvement, as Iran's ability to disrupt energy routes may push Washington toward a larger and more permanent regional military presence.