War With Iran Is a Mistake

US policymakers are currently considering military action against Iran in Washington, with debates intensifying over potential strikes, though the full extent and likelihood remain uncertain. This proposed conflict represents a significant departure from historical American military intervention strategies, which have traditionally achieved better results when focused on precise, limited objectives rather than regime change on a massive scale. The author argues that while operations like the Venezuela mission targeting President Nicolás Maduro demonstrated a more constrained approach, a war with Iran would aim for nothing less than overthrowing a government ruling over 90 million people, presenting unprecedented challenges and risks. Such an undertaking would require vastly more resources, carry potentially catastrophic consequences, and lack the clear parameters that have accompanied more successful American military engagements in recent history.