However, the first days of the war with Iran are already seriously questioning that assumption, writes the New York Times.
According to available information, six Americans have been killed so far, while American allies in the Gulf have already been the target of attacks.
At the same time, financial markets are experiencing instability, fuel prices are rising, and the US military, according to some estimates, spends hundreds of millions of dollars a day.
In Iran, according to local health officials and state media, 175 people were killed in an airstrike on an elementary school for girls. Donald Trump’s administration said it was investigating who was responsible for the attack.
Although US ground forces have not yet been sent to Iranian territory, the administration does not rule out such a possibility either. Defense Minister Pete Hegseth has hinted that the conflict may not be short.
“We are accelerating, not slowing down,” Hegseth told reporters, adding that additional bombers and fighter jets were arriving in the region.
Previous quick operations
The decision to launch a new wave of missile attacks on Iran follows a series of military actions that the administration considers swift and successful.
During Trump’s tenure, the US military has carried out several operations around the world – from actions against the government in Venezuela, attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, attacks on the Houthis in Yemen, to operations against drug smugglers in the Caribbean and bombing targets in Iraq, Nigeria and Somalia as part of the fight against terrorism.
Those actions were implemented relatively quickly and with, according to the administration’s assessment, limited losses.
However, the war launched by the United States of America and Israel against Iran carries a much greater risk of going beyond short military coups, especially if the conflict turns into an attempt to change the government in Tehran.
Warnings of “endless wars”
US Congressman Jason Crow warned that the US could once again enter a protracted war, similar to those in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“After trillions of dollars spent on wars, thousands of lives lost and decades of conflict – we’re back to the same thing,” Crow said.
He reminded that during the election campaign, Trump promised to end such wars, because, as he claimed, this is the wish of the American public.
Trump, meanwhile, called on the citizens of Iran to “take back their country,” but did not publicly support any opposition group that might try to overthrow the government.
The costs of conflict are rising
Analysts warn that the costs of conflict are already rising.
Jon Hoffman of the Cato Institute believes that President Trump is prone to quick military victories that look politically attractive, but that the conflict with Iran is much more complex.
“The costs are already piling up,” Hoffman warned, pointing to the dead American soldiers and rising energy prices.
According to him, the prices of natural gas in Europe have already increased by about 40 percent, and there are fears that they may continue to rise.
On the other hand, some analysts believe that weakening the Iranian regime could bring strategic benefits for the US and its allies, especially if Iran loses some of its military capabilities.
Big risks for the region
However, other experts warn that a destabilized Iran could pose a serious threat to the stability of the region.
There are fears that the eventual collapse of the state could cause large waves of refugees and create space for the resurgence of extremist groups such as ISIS.
“Such organizations grow stronger in chaos,” warn analysts, adding that the spread of the conflict could open a “Pandora’s box” with unpredictable consequences.
(Vijesti.ba)
