Framing what happened as an American defeat — as the press seems to be doing — is fucking insane.

All major objectives were achieved. Iran’s military capabilities were obliterated. Its nuclear program was set back by around a decade. By the by, the US does not give a crap about the Strait of Hormuz. That’s 1970s thinking. Oil just isn’t as important as it used to be, for a variety of reasons.

What happened in Iran was not great, but the actual objectives were met. That’s all you can ask for.