George Rebane
The ongoing Iran imbroglio is described by Gerard Baker (writes for the WSJ and London Times) in a level-headed piece, ‘History Repeats in Iran’. I have been critical of President Trump’s diffidence on completing the Iran war that borders on pusillanimity (accurate words that are usually above my pay grade). However, Baker views the conflict as “an asymmetrical 21st-century war where Iran defines victory simply as survival, utilizing asymmetric tactics to offset superior American and Israeli military strength.” Gemini correctly summarizes his key points –
The Asymmetric Strategy
- “Not Losing” is Winning: Baker argues that Iran knows it cannot defeat the U.S. or Israel in a direct, conventional war. Instead, it exploits power imbalances through proxy warfare and terrorism to exhaust the resolve of its more powerful adversaries.
- Strategic Wear and Tear: While the U.S. aims for decisive outcomes, Iran plays a long game, relying on time and survival to achieve strategic advantages.
Critique of the U.S. Approach
- Faltering Operations: In his column, Baker observed that the ongoing military operations against Iran appear to be failing to meet U.S. objectives. He has questioned the escalation, suggesting the U.S. faces the “ugly choice” of either accepting unsatisfactory ends or wading deeper into a difficult and complex conflict.
- Messaging and Propaganda: Baker has delivered striking rebukes of the Trump administration’s messaging regarding the conflict. He expressed concern over the lack of clear objectives and timelines, comparing the administration’s contradictory rhetoric about the war’s progress to the unreliable narratives of wartime propagandists.
rebanesruminations.com 
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