What We Just Learned About American Power

As American warplanes pummeled targets in Iran in early March, just nine days after the war began, President Trump told the world that U.S. forces were already closing in on a quick, decisive victory. "We're achieving major strides toward completing our military objective," he declared to reporters in Florida. "And some people could say they're pretty well complete."

Three months later — after weeks of tough talk, the deaths of 13 Americans and thousands of Iranians, the expenditure of countless munitions and at least $29 billion in taxpayer money — the stated goals of the war have not been met. The theocratic regime in Tehran remains in place. Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium sits underneath rubble in tunnel complexes. Its military maintains a robust drone and missile capability.