US war with Iran would be an expensive mistake

Yet, despite the familiar language of escalation, much of what is unfolding appears closer to brinkmanship than preparation for war. And Iran represents the very definition of such a war. For a president whose political brand is built on restraint abroad and disruption at home, a war with Iran would contradict the central logic of his foreign policy narrative. A war with Iran – larger, more capable and more regionally embedded – would almost certainly follow a similar, if not more expensive, trajectory. A war with Iran would jeopardize all of these.