Regensburg political scientist: US-Iran war likely to run years, not months
A Regensburg political scientist told ZDF the US-Iran war will run years rather than months, because neither side has an exit strategy. Problem for Trump: his isolationist base is questioning the 'endless war' he promised to end.
The US and Iran returned to direct conflict on August 30 and 31 near the Strait of Hormuz, the first exchange in a month. US forces struck Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island; Iran responded with counterstrikes. Stephan Bierling, political scientist at the University of Regensburg, told ZDF the war shows no signs of ending. His assessment: years, not months, because neither the US nor Iran has an exit strategy. He pointed to the 20-year Afghanistan deployment as evidence Washington can sustain such conflicts financially. The air war is 'comparatively easier to sustain,' he said. This poses a direct challenge to Trump's campaign promise to end 'endless wars.' Bierling noted the conflict is drawing criticism from both his isolationist MAGA base and independent voters, a group that could prove decisive in November's midterms. Watch: whether strikes near the Strait of Hormuz continue, and how this conflict affects Trump's political positioning ahead of the elections.