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News Analysis: Trump, long a critic of 'forever wars,' may be stumbling into one with Iran
Los Angeles Times ^ | July 20, 2026 3 AM PT | Nabih Bulos

Posted on 07/20/2026 1:16:43 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

BEIRUT — President Trump long railed against forever wars.

For years, whether as president or candidate, he flayed electoral opponents and previous presidents with his signature barbs, calling their entanglements a “complete waste of time” (Afghanistan), “the worst single mistake ever made in the history of our country” (Iraq) and “stupid” (Ukraine).

Yet he now appears to be stumbling into a forever war of his own.

From the first days of the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, Trump and his officials insisted their adventure abroad would be the exception, that the conflict would end in a matter of weeks.

Now, 4½ months later, after a torturous, start-stop vacillation between truce and war, the U.S. is pressing on with a fight that has no end in sight — or even a clear definition of what an acceptable end would be.

In the last week, the ceasefire collapsed, with the U.S. and Iran trading daily waves of strikes, leading to the deaths of two American servicemen on Friday when Iranian ballistic missiles struck Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, where U.S. assets and personnel are stationed.

On Sunday, as the U.S. and Iran launched more air assaults, the U.S. announced that a service member was killed Saturday in Iraq during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone.

The deaths in Jordan were the first combat fatalities since the U.S...

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: 123oclock4oclockzot; alltdsallthetime; butukraineisok; concerntroll; concerntrolling; demedia; foreverwars; ibtz; iran; laslimes; losangelesslimes; losangelestimes; mullahloversonfr; multiplenicks; nabihbulos; officialdemnarrative; randspam; rop; tds; terroristloversonfr; waronterror; worldwar3; zot
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

There’s no “may be” about it.


21 posted on 07/20/2026 1:53:46 PM PDT by AnnGora
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

It will be a forever war if he keeps fighting it this way.


22 posted on 07/20/2026 1:54:00 PM PDT by Wilderness Conservative (Death to the DEATH TO AMERICA, Democrats.)
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To: Nateman

The people of Iran are not going to overthrow the government. That excuse left the station a long time ago.


23 posted on 07/20/2026 1:55:02 PM PDT by AnnGora
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To: AnnGora

It cracks me up all the seminar posters who go on and on about 80% of the people hate the government.

Yeah, 80% of the Persians who love in Beverly Hill do.

Can you believe that some of them even keep bringing up the Shah-let as somebody the US ought to put in charge?


24 posted on 07/20/2026 1:57:15 PM PDT by Jim Noble (Assez de mensonges et des phrases)
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To: jimwatx
"This war is becoming an unmitigated disaster."

I disagree, sir. Our bombing is extremely precise so as not to hurt non combatants.

President Trump is very carefully teaching a lesson to the military and religious authorities in Iran.

He's the first president in almost 50 years that is bombing Iranian leadership to make them comply and enter the global free market of trade. When this is done, the Iranian people will have water, food, and electricity. Opportunity.

25 posted on 07/20/2026 1:58:04 PM PDT by KitJ (Shall not be infringed...)
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To: nonliberal

Iran is sending drones. Iran has no airforce, no navy and no tanks. US & Israeli planes are flying bombing runs unopposed.


26 posted on 07/20/2026 1:58:51 PM PDT by Bobbyvotes (Work is best form of worship to Gods.. per Bhagavad at ratio Geeta, the Hindu sacred book. )
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To: jimwatx

Oh dear, oh my, 10TH degree handwinging.


27 posted on 07/20/2026 1:59:29 PM PDT by pfflier
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To: AnnGora

Right. Unarmed civilians can not win over troops with guns.


28 posted on 07/20/2026 2:01:29 PM PDT by Bobbyvotes (Work is best form of worship to Gods.. per Bhagavad at ratio Geeta, the Hindu sacred book. )
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To: Alberta's Child

“Is anyone on this website gullible enough to believe some of the nonsense they post?”

Yes, a lot of them are. They even cross-post Tousi and Jerusalem Post fiction like it’s legitimate news. They propose either putting the Shah’s kid in charge, or, alternatively, “turning Iran to glass” while pretending they are Metternich reborn.

Fortunately, they are turning into “pay no attention to that man behind the curtain” and there is a huge opinion shift going on in the US because everybody knows it now.


29 posted on 07/20/2026 2:02:03 PM PDT by Jim Noble (Assez de mensonges et des phrases)
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To: KitJ

Our bombing is extremely precise so as not to hurt non combatants.

- - - - - - -

The US blew up a girls school due to outdated targeting data.


30 posted on 07/20/2026 2:02:46 PM PDT by TTFX
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Just keep killing all the would dictators and destroy all the military targets and arm the Kurt’s and and other opposition. They know who the supporters of the current regime and kill them. I think Trump thinks he can negotiate with this regime. He should look at how not successful with democrats as a gauge.


31 posted on 07/20/2026 2:03:20 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Making money now. Still want much more.)
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To: qam1
" Dems were on the ropes and there was talk about a permanent Republican Majority"

Then the Federal judges stepped in. Supported by RINOs. Where are we now?

32 posted on 07/20/2026 2:03:50 PM PDT by KitJ (Shall not be infringed...)
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To: qam1

Turkey is next. LOL


33 posted on 07/20/2026 2:04:07 PM PDT by dforest
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To: Red6

“this will be extremely ugly and take some time”

Time’s up 11/3/26.


34 posted on 07/20/2026 2:04:28 PM PDT by Jim Noble (Assez de mensonges et des phrases)
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To: TTFX

Whoops.


35 posted on 07/20/2026 2:04:40 PM PDT by KitJ (Shall not be infringed...)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Stumbling?


36 posted on 07/20/2026 2:05:10 PM PDT by McGruff
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To: Alberta's Child

Frankly,

I used to believe in the “clash of civilizations.”

Dubai/UAE, Qatar, Kuwait are in my mind proving this theory wrong.

Yes, Saudi Arabia is a kingdom and they are definitely not a shining beacon of freedom, human rights and democracy. Yet, even they are making reforms regards people rights (women in particular) and clamping down on those that were/are financing some of the terrorism and even spreading the more radical ideology.

Things are changing in a positive way!

I would much rather watch Arabs drifting bad ass cars in Dubai or skiing down a snow covered hill in an indoor ski-slope built in a desert than watch some backward idiot cut off heads pointing to Allah with an AK in the background. One is cool and fun, the other backward and oppressive.

I hope the “liberalization” in these areas (in a classic sense of freedom and rights) continues.


37 posted on 07/20/2026 2:05:40 PM PDT by Red6
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To: pfflier

Give it another month or 2 and you will be wringing your hands yourself. I swear the bulk of the posters on this forum are totally clueless. You have no idea how bad things are and things are about to get much worse now that Trump is discussing sending in ground troops.


38 posted on 07/20/2026 2:06:29 PM PDT by jimwatx
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Forever wars involve boots on the ground. I do not see it happening here. Iran will either bend or become rubble. They are simply sitting targets.


39 posted on 07/20/2026 2:06:57 PM PDT by MrRelevant
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To: Red6

“ Why is our media far more critical compared to Ukraine in how the war is executed, if we are achieving our goals, the collateral damage, why is suddenly every casualty or loss on our side highlighted?”

Because the potential for catastrophic harm to the US is 100X greater in Iran than in Ukraine.


40 posted on 07/20/2026 2:07:29 PM PDT by Jim Noble (Assez de mensonges et des phrases)
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