Professors John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt explain why U.S. and Iranian demands are fundamentally irreconcilable — and why this crisis is far from over. Instead of bringing Tehran to terms, Washington now finds itself further from a diplomatic settlement than it was in May 2025. Iran has played a weak hand with discipline and patience. The United States, by contrast, risks stumbling into another major strategic failure in the Middle East. At the core of the impasse is a basic reality: both sides are demanding the impossible. Washington insists on the full dismantling of Iranâs nuclear and missile capabilities, while Tehran seeks sanctions relief, reparations, and long-term security guarantees. Neither side is prepared to yield. The result is not a pathway to peace, but a deepening stalemate — with escalation, not resolution, the more likely outcome.
Iran: The Illusion of a Peace Deal| John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt
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Kabir another good one.
I think one of issues not mentioned is that Trump is not really educated of the world. He relies on videos and inputs from his advisors. A dangerous situation
What I understand from various podcasts is that President Trump was told by his military advisors that this war would not go particularly well for the US. But he didn’t listen. And in the end, the US military serves at the pleasure of the President.
I don’t even think that Netanyahu and the Israeli strategic establishment care whether the mission risk was acceptable for the US. They win either way. If the US doesn’t complete this mission successfully, it implies we’ve spilt the blood of some of our best men, which, for Americans no less than other countries, precipitates broad indignation and precludes further analysis of root causes of the conflict and further consideration of whether we were baited into it. It will also solidify the sense that we fought shoulder to shoulder with Israelis, and they’ve been working on these optics to supplant the UK as the only country worthy of a “special relationship”. Its nauseating to even reflect on this.
working on these optics to supplant the UK as the only country worthy of a âspecial relationshipâ.
I think that optics are fraying, if not deteriorating. An issue AIPAC funded politicians are not getting elected of late. Or for that point Mamdani who clearly said his first visit would not be to Israel was elected. And despite NYC having highest portion of Jewish voters in the US,
It will be interesting to see some these republican primary results. The thing with NYC is, the high Jewish pop actually means that there’s always been a lot of “familiarity breeds contempt”. I don’t know how Israel-skepticism lands in the south. The odds of Lindsey Graham losing his primary are minuscule, which is wild. I think polymarket has it at <10%.
The power of millennia old religious mythology to influence modern wars
The thing is, the Israelis did wipe out the Amalekites â except one. And his descendant, Haman, became grand vizier at the court of the Persian Empire (based in the Iranian plateau). Esther is a Jewish orphan adopted by her cousin Mordecai, who also holds a position at the court. She becomes the Kingâs new Queen. And here we go again, Haman (that is, Amalek) wants to get rid of the Jews. Exterminate all of them. For no other apparent reason than because Mordecai refused to bow down to him. Mordecai urges Esther to convince the King to foil Hamanâs plot. The King gets mad at Haman, and eventually the course of events is reversed and the Jewish population is able to exterminate its enemies in the Persian Empire. Thatâs what Jewish people celebrate annually during the Purim holiday.
But the Israelis and American Zionists seem to be convinced by this mythological interpretation
https://www.rt.com/news/636773-iran-war-torah-project/
Above was specially for XTM as he does not know the Bible
Sri Lanka has secured fuel supplies from Russia, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) stated.
The issue in the past was US sanctions
So now direct from the source