The Iran war is a national security issue that has dominated our attention for the past 11 weeks. By comparison, it is a short time compared to the years most wars consume, yet this one is different. Like everything else in our world, it began quickly and it’s anticipated to end just as rapidly. Yet, questions arise. If we have won, then why are we still there? Why preserve an enemy’s oil infrastructure? Why hold back when our overwhelming force clearly exists?

In the high-stakes back rooms of global strategic planning, there is a dangerous tendency to mistake the lack of total destruction for a lack of progress. Critics see the administration’s restraint and conclude that the United States is paralyzed by indecision or concerned about optics. They are fundamentally misreading the board.