Victor Davis Hanson The Political Side. But military success sometimes does not ensure strategic victory, given the Clausewitzian reminder that “war is an extension/continuation of politics by other means.” America never lost a battle in Vietnam and inflicted enormous damage on the North Vietnamese, but lost the war politically. Ditto the American and Soviet experience […]
Victor Davis Hanson Regime Change? On March 1 and again later in the month, Trump and Rubio restated the above reasons for the bombing. Regime change was not among the stated objectives—although wiping out the top echelon of the theocratic and military apparat is a sort of regime change in and of itself. True, Trump
Victor Davis Hanson Legality. Constitutional lawyer Barack Obama was recently sounding off about an illegal war against Iran—in shameless and hypocritical fashion even for the 4-mansion owning, private-jet flying, green-community organizer. Does Obama remember that he bombed Libya for seven months without congressional authorization or even much consultation? He accomplished nothing but ensuring a wider
Victor Davis Hanson The new radical base of the Democrat party does not particularly like the existing U.S., not AOC and her Squad, not Bernie Sanders, and not the various ethnic and racial congressional caucuses. In their view, the only way to regain power is to tear down the house of us all and then
Victor Davis Hanson The longest shutdown in congressional history last autumn achieved almost nothing other than hurting the Trump economic agenda—and, indeed, the fourth quarter 2025 annualized GDP was later revised downward due to the shutdown. Now again in 2026 there have been two additional shutdowns, the second still continuing and already the second longest
Victor Davis Hanson It is hard to figure out why there is a growing American hatred of Israel, our ally against Iran. Does anyone really believe as is alleged that Israel is “pulling the strings” of the Trump administration? For the moment, forget that helping the only democratic, pro-Western, and most powerful nation in the
Victor Davis Hanson Whatever happens in Iran, the end will have ripples throughout the world. The Arab World. If the U.S. destroys theocracy and a moderate government of some sort takes its place, we will have increased our prestige and goodwill throughout the Arab world. Most leaders in the region will be relieved to see
Victor Davis Hanson We are in the second week of a joint American–Israeli intensive bombing of the Iranian theocracy. Most of the Iranian military is now inert. The United States and Israel enjoy air supremacy in the skies over Iran. Iran’s daily launching of missiles and drones is dropping to a tenth of the first
Victor Davis Hanson The correction for our oikophobia is obvious, requiring structural change and a complete transformation in our mindsets and outlook. First, our schools must reinstate civic education and reemphasize honest history. The latter must be taught as tragedy, not hokey, dumbed-down melodrama. Take the American West. We have reduced the historic settlement of
Victor Davis Hanson So why do we see these endless ICE, campus, race, and Middle East demonstrations, not aimed at reasonable dissent, but often descending into open hatred of the U.S. and its values and traditions? Why does Europe allow millions of immigrants, many entering illegally, who have no intention of assimilating, acculturating, or integrating