We have a misguided belief in our invincibility
The United States will not exist in the same form forever
Photo courtesy of William Werby/Pexels
Upon reflection—particularly regarding our recent and frequent involvement in Iran and the Middle East more broadly—I have realized that one crucial assumption underpins many of our foreign policy decisions: that we are an invincible force that will not, and, in fact, cannot be defeated. Our involvement in Iran is certainly making headlines, and I don’t think that people are necessarily unaware of what is going on, but I think there is a lack of urgency or understanding of how poorly this could end for us in the United States.
Not only that—we somehow enter under the misconception that our operations will be briefly and successfully carried out. In a Mar. 2, 2026 press conference, President Trump promised us, only a few days after he began this fruitless endeavor in Iran, that “We have the strongest and most powerful, by far, military in the world, and we will easily prevail.” Almost a month later, we have to question where exactly this hubris—this insistent belief that we will come out on top—originates.
I believe that part of this persistent idea is rooted in our warped understanding of history. I think that many of us subscribe to a framework of historical understanding that sees today—and today in the Western world specifically—as the peak of “civilization.” History is understood as a long progression toward the ultimate end which is now, and this end is seen as having been inevitable. We look to the current day in the United States and I think we still largely see what has been created as a destined reality.
I am not sure the lens is entirely conscious, either. But I do think we have cultivated an understanding of the West, and of the United States in particular, as a forever superpower. We cannot imagine a world in which our government falls, our economy fails, and our empire crumbles. I think that, to some extent, the current administration and the blatant disregard for our institutions has shifted that understanding for some, and we have been made brutally aware of just how fragile our foundations can be. Nonetheless, for those currently in power at the very least, this warped lens has contributed to faulty decision-making—decision-making that is putting all of us at risk in a way I do not think many of us are prepared for.
The economic impacts of Trump’s current delusional effort are already being felt. One New York Times article addresses this influence, titled, “For the Global Economy, ‘All Roads Lead to Higher Prices and Slower Growth.’” The article notes that, “The effects of the war in Iran are squeezing consumers, businesses and governments around the world, raising the prices of many essential goods.” As reported by The Economist in an article titled “Even the best-case scenario for energy markets is disastrous,” many economists are predicting that “even if fighting stopped now, it would be four months before markets regained some semblance of normality.” And that is the hopeful estimate.
I can only hope that the many promises Trump continues to make regarding the imminent end of this war will come into fruition. I can only hope that he will not follow through on his recent vague and ominous statements, as reported by CNN, that Cuba is “next” and that “within a short period of time, it’s going to fail…And we will be there to help it out.” We have seen that “a short period of time” seldom means what we hope it will. We must take a hard look at reality—at our own fragility—and retire our current policy of entering into conflict with high hopes and few substantial plans.