Why should world bear brunt of Trump’s miscalculation?

After reviewing reports of Donald Trump’s recent address to the American public, a number of observations emerge:

1. The president of a global superpower appears detached from ground realities, almost operating in a state of strategic illusion. Either he is not adequately heeding intelligence assessments, or those assessments themselves are failing him.
2. There is a persistent refusal to acknowledge that Iran has demonstrated considerable resilience—both as a state and as a military actor with indigenous capabilities. The stated objectives of regime change and meaningful degradation of its nuclear and missile assets remain largely unfulfilled.
3. His European allies are visibly reluctant to associate themselves with a war widely perceived as initiated under the influence of Benjamin Netanyahu. This hesitation underscores growing transatlantic unease.
4. While Trump may have managed to secure political loyalty at home to fend off institutional challenges, the broader sentiment within the United States is increasingly uneasy. Public discontent is no longer easy to contain.
5. The notion of occupying Kharg Island borders on strategic fantasy. Iran is not Venezuela; any such misadventure could prove disastrously costly, with airborne troops facing overwhelming resistance within hours rather than days.
6. Reports suggesting the withdrawal or repositioning of US naval assets reflect an uncomfortable reality: modern asymmetric warfare—particularly drone and missile capabilities—has altered the battlefield in Iran’s favor.
7. Even if financial resources—reportedly in the range of $200 billion—are available, the sustainability of logistics and supply chains remains questionable. Wars are not won by funding alone, but by operational continuity.

Recent reporting also indicates that while Trump claimed progress and “mission success,” he offered no clear exit strategy, even as global markets reacted negatively and oil prices surged amid fears of prolonged conflict.

Therefore, the insistence on Iran’s “unconditional surrender” appears increasingly detached from strategic reality. A more pragmatic course would be to engage with some of Tehran’s terms and seek an end to what is fast becoming a protracted and costly conflict.

Why should the global economy—and indeed the wider international community—be compelled to absorb the consequences of what increasingly resembles a strategic miscalculation driven by one leader, especially when that leader faces growing skepticism at home?

US military involvement in Afghanistan was a mistake

Americans are evenly divided on whether the war in Afghanistan was a mistake, as the withdrawal of US troops from the region nears completion. Gallup reported on Monday that 47% of Americans believe US military involvement in Afghanistan was a mistake, while 46% support the mission.

President Joe Biden announced in April that all US troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by 11th September 201, the 20th anniversary of the attacks on twin towers, resulting in the longest war in American history.

Earlier this month, Biden moved up the target date for pulling all troops from the region, revealing that the US military mission would end by 31st August.

More than 2,400 US service members have died in Afghanistan, according to Gallup. The war, which has cost the US more than US$2 trillion, has left around 20,000 US troops injured.

The poll, conducted between 6th to 21st July was the second time in history that fewer than half of Americans said US involvement in Afghanistan was not a mistake, according to Gallup.

Support for sending troops into Afghanistan was high in October 2001, shortly after the US sent troops into the country, with 80% of Americans supporting the move, and 18% opposed.

Support for the war increased the next year, with a record-high 93% of Americans saying it was not a mistake to deploy troops to the country.

In 2014, backing for the war slipped. That year was the first time US adults were as likely to say it was a mistake to send troops into Afghanistan as they were to say it was not, Gallup reported.

Of the Americans polled that year, 49% said the US made a mistake sending troops into Afghanistan, while 48% said it was not a mistake.

Support rose again in 2015 and 2019. This year, it is back on par with the results from 2014, according to the polling organization.

As the US withdrawal effort nears the completion concerns are growing about the stability of the Afghan government once American forces vacate the country, particularly as the Taliban continues to make gains in the region.

Gallup polled a random sample of 1,007 adults in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.