I have said that starting this war was a mistake. I stand by that.

But once you start a war, you had better finish the job.

If this war ends today — Iran wins. Across the Arab world, the message will be that Iran absorbed the best shots from the United States and Israel and survived. It will emerge as the dominant regional power. A weakened but surviving Iran will not become moderate. It will become vengeful — and the Gulf states will be the nearest targets.

A ceasefire now is not peace. It is a guaranteed path to losing control of the region.

The Gulf states need to pick up the phone to the White House and make one offer: We will finance everything you need to finish this. Name the price.

Trump understands money. He entered this war reluctantly, knowing his base didn’t sign up for another Middle East adventure. Gas prices are up, polls are down, and the midterms are approaching. He has the power — but his presidency is on the line. If Mohammed bin Salman calls and says: “Mr. President, we will pay for every carrier group and every Tomahawk — because we need this done,” Trump will listen. He might even call it his greatest deal.

The precedent exists. The Gulf states financed significant portions of the Gulf War in 1991 for exactly the same reason — they had the most to lose. Today Iran plays the role Iraq played then, with three decades of additional proxy-building and nuclear ambition on top.

The price of finishing this war is high. But without finishing it, the Gulf states face an almost impossible future: lose control of their countries and resources within five years. A victorious Iran — battle-hardened, regionally dominant, and burning for revenge — will not leave them alone.

If Trump negotiates a face-saving ceasefire, or declares victory and walks away, that is the worst possible outcome for everyone except Iran, China, and Russia — and an open invitation for bad actors to terrorize and blackmail their neighbors and rivals.

History does not reward half-measures. It is littered with wars that were almost won and became the seeds of the next catastrophe.

This is the best ‘End Game’ scenario. The Gulf states have the checkbook to make it happen. The question is whether they also have the courage to use it — before the window closes. As the current Iran regime will make sure they won’t be signing any checks within five years.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)