With his presidency on the line as Americans weighed the consequences of the third war in the Middle East waged by the United States over the past 25 years, Trump declared victory. Iran’s nuclear programs and ambitions were “obliterated”. It was a description Trump insisted all his advisers and generals emphatically embrace.

Trump was wounded by the preliminary report of the Pentagon’s Defence Intelligence Agency that the attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites resulted only in their setback of several months. This implied that Iran could quickly recover and resume its nuclear ambitions, and therefore the attack was a failure.

Illustration by Joe Benke

Subsequent assessments by the US, Israel and the International Atomic Energy Agency have concluded that in fact Iran’s production capacity for a weapon was effectively destroyed. Still, crucial questions remain whether Iran moved and protected its stocks of enriched uranium for future use.

Trump has not won this war with the American people. In both the run-up and aftermath of war with Iran, sentiment was very guarded, with roughly 40 per cent of voters approving of the strikes and 50 per cent disapproving. Three-quarters of Democrats disapproved and 75 per cent of Republicans supported the campaign.

But Trump has won his argument with NATO. As Trump travelled to The Hague, he laid down his markers. With Trump, there is performative anger and truly wrenching personal anger. When in Trump’s eyes Israel was not complying with the ceasefire........

© The Sydney Morning Herald