Thursday, March 26, 2026

The ugliest possibility is a great unwinding where catastrophic economic damage causes countries to seek self-sufficiency, perhaps by building regional spheres of influence that provide resources and markets. This would be drastic, but not unprecedented: When interdependence collapsed during the Great Depression, aggressive powers conquered enormous empires in hopes of creating self-contained prosperity and security against their foes.

 

Wars Have Entered the Chokehold Era

One quarter of the Americans who voted for Donald Trump in 2024 disapprove of his Iran policy, and this disapproval is especially high among groups who moved strongly toward him during that election: 56% among young adults, 62% for Hispanics and independents. These statistics signal more than a political threat for Mr. Trump and the Republicans who must face voters this fall. They represent a challenge to the democratic legitimacy of the most solemn decision that a nation can make. It’s up to the president to conclude this war in the way that does the least damage to our national interest—and to the people’s waning confidence in their public institutions.

 



Lesson of Iran: Don’t go to war without first selling the effort to American voters.



 ET