Trump Has Lost Control of His War

Mr. Vaez is the Iran project director for the International Crisis Group.

When presidents go on television in wartime, they do not merely describe events. They try to impose meaning on them. On Wednesday night, President Trump presented the war with Iran as a stern but necessary undertaking that is nearing a favorable conclusion.

The threads of this victory narrative have been coming together since the United States launched Operation Epic Fury in late February. Elements of it are undoubtedly true: American and Israeli forces have been dominant........

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