Paul Masgrave, associate professor of government at Georgetown University in
Qatar, says US military action has not produced expected results against Iran,
turning the confrontation into a test of which side can endure longer. He says
Washington’s and Tehran’s tolerance for economic or political pain depends on
how much cost each is willing to accept to secure more favorable terms. Masgrave
adds Iranian hardliners are unwilling to yield for fear of appearing weak and
are seeking to inflict maximum humiliation on President Trump ahead of the US
midterm elections. He also says the campaign has proved harder than Trump
anticipated because US airpower, munitions and deterrence have so far failed to
force the outcomes Washington sought.
