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Don't Rule Out War with Iran
(Wall Street Journal) Walter Russell Mead - America is certainly tired of "endless wars." The president understands and shares that concern. America's steady move toward energy independence also reduces public concern about the Middle East. Yet Tehran has been inching closer to America's red lines. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told me in a recent interview that the Iranian regime is trapped. Tehran is frantically seeking an escape as the pain of sanctions intensifies. The Financial Times estimates its economy will contract 9.3% in 2019. As administration insiders see things, the driving force shaping the confrontation is Iranian impotence rather than American vacillation. If Tehran continues to escalate its provocations, it will deepen its international isolation. On Monday, France, Germany and the UK blamed Iran for the Saudi attack. If Iran launches an unprovoked attack against American troops to Saudi Arabia who are conducting a necessary and lawful defensive mission, Washington's calculus could change in a heartbeat. The writer is professor of foreign affairs and the humanities at Bard College.