The cease-fire reached before dawn on Wednesday between the United States and Iran has paused the Gulf war for two weeks, after five and a half weeks of fighting.
The results so far are, to put it mildly, far from encouraging.
When the campaign began on February 28, associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined three overarching goals to journalists: the fall of the Iranian regime, the destruction of its nuclear program and the elimination of the ballistic missile threat.
So far, none of those goals has been achieved, though it cannot be ruled out that the war will resume in two weeks if the cease-fire collapses. The regime remains in place, no solution has yet been found for the 440 kilograms of enriched uranium, and the missile program remains active, at least in part.
By contrast, Israel's standing in the United States has been significantly damaged, and it is likely to face accusations that it dragged President Donald Trump into an unnecessary war.
When the campaign began on February 28, associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined three overarching goals to journalists: the fall of the Iranian regime, the destruction of its nuclear program and the elimination of the ballistic missile threat.
So far, none of those goals has been achieved, though it cannot be ruled out that the war will resume in two weeks if the cease-fire collapses. The regime remains in place, no solution has yet been found for the 440 kilograms of enriched uranium, and the missile program remains active, at least in part.
By contrast, Israel's standing in the United States has been significantly damaged, and it is likely to face accusations that it dragged President Donald Trump into an unnecessary war.
Israel's home front sustained considerable damage, which the military had to expend critical capabilities on a large scale to contain.
In the north, Israel has also entangled itself in a military confrontation with Hezbollah in Lebanon that threatens the security of northern residents and the rehabilitation of the Galilee.
As written here before and during the war, there is no full correlation between superior military capability and a desirable strategic outcome. It is difficult to translate the absolute air superiority of the United States and Israel over Iran and the series of heavy blows inflicted on the Iranians into a decisive outcome. There may yet be a breaking point later on, but for now, it is nowhere in sight.
And as happened earlier in Gaza, Netanyahu's supporters and loyal mouthpieces are again pushing back the timetable time after time, with hollow promises that the solution lies just around the corner...MORE...
As written here before and during the war, there is no full correlation between superior military capability and a desirable strategic outcome. It is difficult to translate the absolute air superiority of the United States and Israel over Iran and the series of heavy blows inflicted on the Iranians into a decisive outcome. There may yet be a breaking point later on, but for now, it is nowhere in sight.
And as happened earlier in Gaza, Netanyahu's supporters and loyal mouthpieces are again pushing back the timetable time after time, with hollow promises that the solution lies just around the corner...MORE...
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