The US-Iran Ceasefire Shows that War Doesn't Work

The Hawks are so naive

The details of the agreement between the United States and Iran have not yet been released, but we do have some understanding of what it probably entails based on selective leaks and media reporting. Bluntly: The agreement appears to be an agreement to reach a further agreement. But in the meantime, it does appear to open the Strait of Hormuz and lift the American blockade as discussions unfold over sanctions relief and Iran’s nuclear program. And, of course, the bombing will stop — in Iran, the Gulf countries, Lebanon, and Israel.

These are all good things — a ceasefire is better than a war. But this was a ceasefire that never should have been necessary because the United States and Israel should not have launched this war in the first place.

Clausewitz famously said, “War is politics by other means” — meaning it is a way to get what you want. In this case, the United States and Israel wanted regime change and an end to Iran’s nuclear program. But what the hawks never seemed to understand is that if what you want cannot actually be gained through military force, you should not start that war in the first place.