At the time of writing, the Iran War is nearing its fourth week. There are lessons for everyone. While I would say that the war against the Iranian regime was a right decision, many war hawks are now realizing that this operation will not be a quick action like Venezuela. And while I yearn for peace just like the peace doves, Iran’s unprovoked attacks on its neighbors and the way it is putting the Strait of Hormuz under hostage shows that Iran was never genuine about diplomacy or reform.

Overall, it is undeniable that President Donald Trump and his administration are struggling. While Iran is severely crippled, it is currently crippling America’s (and the world’s) economy by closing the Strait of Hormuz. The American military has air superiority, and yet, Iranian missiles and drones are still hitting oil tankers. On the home front, Trump has lost as a majority of Americans are against the war. The Trump administration, despite showing resolve in getting its hands dirty to deal with the threat that is Iran, keeps fumbling with persuading the American public. Currently, the war feels like it’s at a stalemate, with both Trump and whatever remaining of the Iranian regime waiting for the other to give up. There are rumors of diplomatic talks, but who knows if they are just statements made by both sides to buy time?

Where does America go from here? We should be wary of the “sunk cost fallacy” but it is undeniable that so many resources (and, unfortunately, the lives of Iranians and American military personnel) have been lost in these past few weeks. Can America really leave now and let the Iranian regime recover and continue to use the Strait of Hormuz as a way to threaten the international community? 

Arab countries seem to be horrified at the thought that America would leave a hostile Iran alive after everything they’ve endured. They’ve been intercepting hundreds of Iranian drones and missiles, and civilians and important economic industries have been hit. Countries like Saudi Arabia have had their reputation as oases have been ruined by Iran. Perhaps these Arab countries should consider cooperating with America more closely, not just in defense, but going on the offensive. They’ve been shown how much power that Iran can wield against them, and for the sake of their own prosperity and future safety, they should help America get the job done. There’s a lot Arab countries can do, ranging from shutting down Iranian banks in their territories to striking missile sites that have been used to target Gulf countries.

Also, European allies should seriously be considering helping more. I think Trump should be grateful for how America has been able to utilize European airbases, which have been so vital for air operations. But, admittedly, European leaders are still hesitant to do more. Iran has shown that it is capable of hitting Europe after striking the joint US-UK base of Diego Garcia. Europe should remember that it has constantly condemned the Iranian regime in the past; if the Iranian regime survives this war, Europe now knows that Iran could threaten or blackmail them with ballistic missiles. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that NATO members (and even some countries like South Korea and Australia) are “coming together” to form a multinational effort to free up the Strait of Hormuz. Let’s hope this happens, for the sake of pushing back against Iran’s bullying tactics and also to recover the world economy.

Trump is finding that America cannot bear the burden of fighting Iran alone. Hopefully he may learn to regret the ways he overstepped his criticisms of allies and began bullying them. He may be realizing that the way to ensure America’s security is to become closer with America’s allies, rather than dividing necessary alliances.

Acknowledgement: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the individual author, not necessarily Our National Conversation as a whole.