Critics warn Trump’s Iran war risks repeating past US military failures

Growing criticism is emerging over US President Donald Trump’s handling of the conflict with Iran, with opponents arguing that the war risks becoming another costly and damaging episode for the United States similar to past military campaigns in the Middle East.

As fighting continues, analysts and political critics say the war could undermine US global influence while increasing economic pressure at home and abroad.

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Concerns over strategy

Critics argue that Washington entered the conflict without a clear long-term strategy. While US and Israeli forces have carried out extensive air strikes across Iran, the Iranian government has continued to resist, launching retaliatory attacks on US facilities and regional targets.

Some US bases in the Gulf region have reportedly come under fire, highlighting the risks facing American forces stationed there.

The situation has also affected global energy markets. Disruption around the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes — has contributed to rising oil and gas prices, raising concerns about a wider energy shock.

Higher energy costs are already feeding into inflation and increasing pressure on global supply chains, with poorer countries expected to feel the greatest impact.

Israel’s expanded military operations

The war has also coincided with intensified military operations by Israel under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israeli air strikes have targeted sites across Iran as well as positions linked to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli officials say the operations are intended to weaken hostile military capabilities and reduce threats to Israeli civilians.

However, critics say the strikes have caused significant destruction and risk strengthening nationalist support for Iran’s leadership rather than weakening it.

The fighting in Lebanon has also raised humanitarian concerns, with reports of civilian casualties and large numbers of people displaced from their homes.

Risk of a prolonged conflict

Some analysts warn that the war could develop into a prolonged confrontation rather than the short campaign initially expected by supporters of the military action.

Iran’s conventional military capabilities have reportedly been weakened by the strikes, but Tehran retains missile and drone systems that continue to pose a threat to regional targets. Iran also maintains links with armed groups across the Middle East, which could extend the conflict beyond its current scope.

The continuing exchange of attacks suggests that a quick resolution may be unlikely.

Nuclear concerns remain unresolved

Another major issue is Iran’s nuclear programme, which was already a point of tension before the conflict began.

Although some Iranian nuclear facilities have reportedly been damaged during the strikes, experts note that the country retains technical knowledge and potentially hidden stockpiles of enriched uranium.

The future direction of Iran’s nuclear ambitions remains uncertain. Some hardline voices inside the country have argued that nuclear weapons could guarantee the regime’s survival, although Iranian leaders have previously said such weapons are forbidden under religious rulings issued by former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Political and legal criticism

The war has also triggered political debate within the United States about the legal basis for the military action.

Critics say the decision to launch strikes without formal authorisation from Congress raises constitutional concerns. Others have questioned whether the conflict complies with international law and the rules governing warfare.

The financial cost of the conflict has also become a point of contention. Some estimates suggest the war could be costing the United States billions of dollars each week, adding to concerns about long-term economic consequences.

International reaction

The conflict has strained relations between the United States and some of its allies. Several governments have expressed concern about the lack of consultation before the strikes and the potential risks of escalation across the Middle East.

At the same time, Washington has called on partners to help secure shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, where attacks on vessels and infrastructure have raised fears about global energy supplies.

Meanwhile, geopolitical rivals such as Russia and China are closely monitoring developments, with some analysts suggesting the conflict could shift the balance of influence in the region.

Political consequences ahead

With US elections approaching in the coming years, the outcome of the conflict may carry political consequences for the administration.

Rising energy prices and the prospect of a prolonged military campaign could become significant issues for voters, particularly if the war continues to expand.

For now, the conflict with Iran remains unresolved, leaving uncertainty about how long the fighting may continue and what impact it will have on US strategy in the Middle East.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 15.March 2026

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Spot on !! americas shame!!!!!

The US and Israel have once again plunged the region into chaos, and this latest conflict only exposes how little accountability either nation faces for the destruction they help fuel.

It's a direct insult to the rest of the world!

Trump started his war with no strategy, no legal mandate, and no regard for the global fallout. The result? Rising energy prices, destabilised shipping routes, and yet another humanitarian disaster, costs that poorer nations will bear far more than the US ever will.

Meanwhile, Israel’s expanded strikes across Iran and Lebanon have only intensified regional instability and civilian suffering, all while claiming “security” as justification.

Trump is treating the US military like a personal tool, launching strikes without Congressional approval and dragging the country into another unwinnable conflict.

The antithesis of leadership - reckless self‑interest masquerading as policy!

Both the US and Israel need to be held fully accountable for the consequences of their actions. The world cannot keep absorbing the shockwaves of their militarised folly while they face none of the repercussions.

28 minutes ago, Jim Waldron said:

The US and Israel have once again plunged the region into chaos, and this latest conflict only exposes how little accountability either nation faces for the destruction they help fuel.

It's a direct insult to the rest of the world!

Trump started his war with no strategy, no legal mandate, and no regard for the global fallout. The result? Rising energy prices, destabilised shipping routes, and yet another humanitarian disaster, costs that poorer nations will bear far more than the US ever will.

Meanwhile, Israel’s expanded strikes across Iran and Lebanon have only intensified regional instability and civilian suffering, all while claiming “security” as justification.

Trump is treating the US military like a personal tool, launching strikes without Congressional approval and dragging the country into another unwinnable conflict.

The antithesis of leadership - reckless self‑interest masquerading as policy!

Both the US and Israel need to be held fully accountable for the consequences of their actions. The world cannot keep absorbing the shockwaves of their militarised folly while they face none of the repercussions.

Totally agree good post

Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi announced in late February 2026 that Iran agreed to "zero stockpiling" of enriched nuclear material, aiming to never produce a nuclear bomb. Through Oman-brokered talks, Iran agreed to convert existing enriched materials to lower levels, enabling full IAEA verification. That is quite revealing that Israel has no intention to give diplomacy a chance and has locked in their intention to attack Iran while negotiation was taking place.

It has never being about Iran's bid to develop nukes and has been Israel's Greater Israel vision. Israel dragged US into this war and an opportune time when you have a non intelligent buffoon in the White House. Obama and Biden were wised to resist Israel's manipulation to go into wars in the middle-east.

In the medium to long term, Trump has handed the Middle East to China. Consider China knows exactly where every military target is using their satellite technology, and they have provided this information to Iran. Look at how Chinese targeting systems have performed with stunning accuracy. China has far superior missiles. i personally think the Chinese has surpassed america as a military force. My reasoning? americas military is a giant pension fund, that also has an army. Most of its budget is spent on retired soldiers. America, has the wrong type of military equipment. The defense industry has lobbied, politicians to order expensive equipment that is useless for a conventional war, for the sake of profit. Massive billion dollar american warships had to run away from the action, due to the threat from $30k ballistics. Useless billion dollar defense systems that were destroyed with a week of action. Look at the US military action reels. Have you noticed, that you are usually watching a $4million cruise missile blowing up a $15k truck? It's clear that the americans are incompetent. In a direct match up, China would win. Add to that, the Chinese foreign policy gives autonomy the nations they deal with, China is a far more attractive partner. And finally, China has a superior economy. Strip out the financial sector, China's economy dwarfs that of america. Within 20 years, the Yuan will be the worlds reserve currency (and control international finance), and america will have the same influence as Greece. The Polish Netanyahu has doomed the existence of Israel. Without america as a world power, it's neighbors will decimate it.

Strategy with trump???are you serious???he’s much to impulse for any real strategy lol 😂 he would have tacoed allready if the Iranians let him…as far as any statement this guy makes it’s not worth the paper it’s written on thanks magga!!

Trump has once again demonstrated to the world the fact that he knows nothing about anything, and that the one quality that he truly has in abundance is ignorance.

Mistakes are bound to happen in the fog of war, the US has very little experience with operations like this, they have NOT won a war of any consequence in 81 years, they're already running low on munitions and the expense of this war is up to a billion dollars a day so far. That is money that the cash strapped US just doesn't have to spend. But Don doesn't mind because the idea of adding to the US deficit means nothing to him, he won't be around anyway, and he cares not one iota for the well-being of the average American.

Nobody knows where this war is going to lead, but it was dangerous, it was reckless, it was unnecessary, it could end up lasting years and costing trillions of dollars, and the end result could be another Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Algeria or Egypt, just a few of the misadventures that the US has gotten themselves involved in, in the past few decades, we're enormous amounts of capital were spent without accomplishing anything in the way of an objective.

It might have been better to just let Israel do a surgical strike of the nasty Ayatollahs building, taking him and some top officials out, and letting it play out that way.

But Trump does not like clean and simple, he prefers messy and very expensive, that's just who he is.

Wonder how soon Israel and the US will run out of money??? Time for China to call in its bonds.

Sooner the better that the US dollar looses its reserve currency status

I hope all countries call in their debts..end the US imperialism ends.

He's made the U.S. lose EVERYTHING for the first time.

A literal enemy state couldn't have invented a force so destructive to the USA.

The champagne is flowing in Moscow.

Of course as an older man I envy youth (which is wasted on them) but more seriously I feel sorry for younger Americans and what they're going to have to live like in a DEGRADED nation because of Trump. Except the young morons that voted for him!

The Guardian has never been a supporter of Trump, and its articles reflect that. There is lots to criticize about the Trump administration, but the opinion of the Guardian in respect to the intervention is wishful postulating.

19 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

The Guardian has never been a supporter of Trump, and its articles reflect that. There is lots to criticize about the Trump administration, but the opinion of the Guardian in respect to the intervention is wishful postulating.

Another lame attempt to sane-wash Trump by attacking a source.

35 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Another lame attempt to sane-wash Trump by attacking a source.

No. The Guardian is a consistent, constant critic of Trump and his administration. This is nothing new. The Guardian It has been opposed to the intervention since Day 1. Anything other than a negative opinion piece would be unusual for the Guardian. There are multiple media outlets with a bias. Some are supportive and some are not. Media outlets such as Breitbart and Newsmax are consistently supportive of Trump and I doubt you would apply the same standard as you now do if the article was based upon a Newsmax glowing endorsement of the intervention.

10 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

No. The Guardian is a consistent, constant critic of Trump and his administration.

It is left-owned and not objective about Trump since they want to see Trump fail no matter what he does.

They will always put a negative spin on all things Trump.

Best to get opinions from different and varied sources.

20 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

No. The Guardian is a consistent, constant critic of Trump and his administration. This is nothing new. The Guardian It has been opposed to the intervention since Day 1. Anything other than a negative opinion piece would be unusual for the Guardian. There are multiple media outlets with a bias. Some are supportive and some are not. Media outlets such as Breitbart and Newsmax are consistently supportive of Trump and I doubt you would apply the same standard as you now do if the article was based upon a Newsmax glowing endorsement of the intervention.

Breitbart and Newsmax -- maga fascist propaganda organs.

Calling them "news sources" is rich. Breitbart especially assoicated with CONSPIRACY THEORIES.

Anyone that thinks Trump's "excursion" into Iran has been a roaring success should have their flippin' head examined!

15 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Anyone that thinks Trump's "excursion" into Iran has been a roaring success should have their flippin' head examined!

And if that head is examined it will be minus a functional brain!

The rats are now abandoning the sinking ship, Joe Kent Director of the National couterterrorism is stepping Down, saying he cannot support the ongoing war in Iran, Iran posed no threat to America

Yanks are being taken for fools by trump and his cronies !!!

All former presidents deny Trump claim

https://resources.news.com.au/author-profiles/6c974d94-3e08-4a58-ad79-5a0a0ac6768f.png

Benedict Brook

All four living former US presidents have said they did not have a chat with Donald Trump and praise his actions in Iraq.

The current holder of the office made the surprising claim on Monday, US time.

“I’ve spoken to a certain president, who I like, actually. A past president… He said: ‘I wish I did it. I wish I did.’ But they didn’t do it. I’m doing it.”

He then repeated the claim later in the day.

12 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

No. The Guardian is a consistent, constant critic of Trump and his administration. This is nothing new. The Guardian It has been opposed to the intervention since Day 1. Anything other than a negative opinion piece would be unusual for the Guardian. There are multiple media outlets with a bias. Some are supportive and some are not. Media outlets such as Breitbart and Newsmax are consistently supportive of Trump and I doubt you would apply the same standard as you now do if the article was based upon a Newsmax glowing endorsement of the intervention.

Some might argue that the Guardian is just capable of applying more common sense to an illegitimate invasion, war crimes, and a war that has difficult and challenging outcomes no matter how you spin it. No allies are coming to Trump's relief, with regard to the Strait, the entire world has dismissed his plea for help as being just another desperate rant from an arrogant and witless fool, who started an unnecessary war that could become endless.

11 hours ago, still kicking said:

All former presidents deny Trump claim

https://resources.news.com.au/author-profiles/6c974d94-3e08-4a58-ad79-5a0a0ac6768f.png

Benedict Brook

All four living former US presidents have said they did not have a chat with Donald Trump and praise his actions in Iraq.

The current holder of the office made the surprising claim on Monday, US time.

“I’ve spoken to a certain president, who I like, actually. A past president… He said: ‘I wish I did it. I wish I did.’ But they didn’t do it. I’m doing it.”

He then repeated the claim later in the day.

It should not have been a surprising claim as it was a false claim, every day of his life Trump spins multiple lies, hoping that the most gullible amongst his supporters will buy into them. The vast majority of people see through them at this point and they know exactly who this juvenile boviator is.

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Trump has made the USA a pariah nation.

Americans -- get used to it.

On 3/17/2026 at 9:41 AM, Tug said:

Strategy with trump???are you serious???he’s much to impulse for any real strategy lol 😂 he would have tacoed allready if the Iranians let him…as far as any statement this guy makes it’s not worth the paper it’s written on thanks magga!!

Just think what the outcome would be if he

ran a casino ?

It seems that no one in the west ever foresaw that this day would come and planned for alternative routes by dredging and widening other channels. Countries with a need for oil spend billions, ne'er trillions on oil infrastructure, but were too blind to see that having just one choice was a bad idea for global trade in oil.

7 minutes ago, Purdey said:

It seems that no one in the west ever foresaw that this day would come and planned for alternative routes by dredging and widening other channels. Countries with a need for oil spend billions, ne'er trillions on oil infrastructure, but were too blind to see that having just one choice was a bad idea for global trade in oil.

There are pipelines which bypass the straits but they dont have the capcity, and are above ground so there is fear of drones, years ago there was a project for a canal but nothing realy happend!

Waiting for the "Awww s**t" moment.

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Trump has made the USA a pariah nation.

Americans -- get used to it.

I think that already happened with the ridiculous seesawing of the tafiffs, the vengeance that he demonstrated in their application, and the threats nearly every other day to various nations. America was already declining prior to Trump but it has been on a dramatic decline during his first full year in office during this term. And now with the Iran war this horrid clown is in absolute free fall.

Silly Don has dramatically escalated America's slide into oblivion. Empires have never lasted more than 250 years for the most part, so it was going to happen anyway, he's just precipitated this thing significantly. Which is probably a good thing.

Some big hitters in there.....impressive.