Rogue Nation Goes to War

You break it, you own it

I don’t know Farsi, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Tehran radio broadcast tomorrow a speech by a senior Iranian official that goes something like this:

Yesterday, February 28, 2026 — a date which will live in infamy — the Islamic Republic was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of the United States of America.

The Islamic Republic was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of the United States, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Region... Since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by United States on Saturday, February 27, 2026, a state of war has existed between the Islamic Republic and the American Empire.

Surprise attacks during negotiations is what rogue nations do. Massive military strikes based on false or exaggerated evidence is what aggressors do. Launching war without Legitimate Authority, Just Cause, and Right Intention is what authoritarian regimes do.

But that’s what my country has just done. Trump’s attacks lacked an authorizing vote by Congress; they were justified by the president on faulty claims; and the United States is seeking a regime change without a feasible plan to achieve that result. Saying “we don’t do nation building” is an evasion of America’s moral and security responsibilities.

America has not been perfect, but it has striven to be just and honorable. We usually fought to defend American and allied interests and people. When we destroyed a government, we recognized an obligation to help bring law and order. When we overthrew the democratically-elected government of Iran in 1953, we had a candidate for leadership, the shah, who was able to create a period of peace and stability. When we overthrew the governments in Afghanistan and Iraq, we had a collaborative process to create new authorities.

An Iran without a central government is likely to fragment into competing militias and anarchy. How does that serve American interests?

Surely the trillion dollars we are spending this year on our armed forces should be able to destroy Iranian military capabilities for years to come. Surely we can defend ourselves and our friends from devastating retaliation. If not, we should have been smart enough not to start this war.

But even if we achieve that tactical goal of regime destruction, we need to achieve the strategic goal of creating a stable peace that serves our interests. If we didn’t plan for that, we didn’t plan for victory.

Congress legally can vote to stop the war. Congress can legally support the war and impose war aims and conditions on its conduct. American political divisions will probably prevent supermajorities from agreeing on a plan. But Congress should vote, so that members can be held accountable for the outcomes when the fighting subsides.