America can still strike. The hard part is what comes next

On 4 August, Qatar said mediators had made progress towards US-Iran talks aimed at ending the war, even as Tehran continued to deny direct negotiations with Washington. The diplomatic push came days after President Donald Trump called off another round of major strikes on Iran and turned again to diplomacy. After months of war, threats, pauses and renewed attacks, the episode captured the central contradiction of American power today: the United States can still strike almost anywhere, but it is increasingly difficult for Washington to turn military force into a political outcome it can control. That distinction matters. America can send carrier groups into the Persian Gulf, keep drones circling over conflict zones, impose sanctions, and launch cruise missiles on […]