War is not a purely chronological exercise. It can always come to a quick end if one side surrenders

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President Donald Trump was positively exultant over the “12 Day War” in Iran. After being badly outwitted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and maneuvered into a war that the United States had sought to avoid for more than twenty years, Trump decided that it was his achievement all along.

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An important achievement it was, and Netanyahu — often criticized in this space — deserves the credit that he is magnanimously sharing with Trump. After 46 years of spreading misery and mayhem, no tears are being shed for the mullahs in Tehran and their arc of mercenary proxies in the region.

The Americans were in Iran for less than twelve hours of the twelve days. They could have taken a more leisurely approach if they wished, the Israelis having cleared Iranian airspace of any potential incoming fire. After the stealth bombers did their business, the air force could have put on an aerobatic show. If it were a NATO exercise, the Snowbirds could have made an appearance. With defense spending set to rise to 5 per cent of GDP, the Snowbirds may well become ubiquitous.

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