The longer the Iran war continues, the more complicated it becomes for US President Donald Trump, who is facing boiling criticism with no easy way out in sight. Leon Panetta, former US defence secretary and Central Intelligence Agency director, said that Donald Trump is stuck between “a rock and a hard place” after weeks of conflict.
Speaking to The Guardian, he said the Middle East crisis is largely of his own making. Leon Panetta said this was not an unexpected risk. He pointed out that for years, US security officials have known Iran could disrupt global oil supplies by blocking the Strait of Hormuz. According to him, this was a well-known danger, but one that appears to have been overlooked in the current conflict, despite repeated warnings in the past.
FAILURE TO ANTICIPATE IRAN RESPONSE
“This is not rocket science to understand that if you’re going to conduct a war with Iran, one of the great vulnerabilities is the strait of Hormuz,” he said as quoted by The Guardian.
He added that the current situation shows a clear lack of preparation, claiming the administration either underestimated Iran’s response or assumed the conflict would end quickly. “They were not prepared for it and they’re now paying a price,” he said, warning that the fallout is now being felt not just in the region but across global markets.
The ex-CIA chief also questioned the outcome of the initial military push and stressed it has not weakened Iran in the way Washington may have expected. He argued, instead, the leadership in Tehran appears more entrenched, with a new and more hardline figure (Mojtaba Khamenei) now in power. “We have a more entrenched regime and he’s much more of a hardliner,” he said. “That didn’t turn out too well.”
As the war drags into its fourth week, pressure is building on Trump at home as well. Soaring fuel prices and uncertainty over the conflict’s timeline have led many Americans to rethink their support. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week found that 59 per cent of Americans disapprove of US strikes on Iran.
NO EASY EXIT FROM IRAN WAR
“He’s (Trump) facing a very tough issue,” Panetta said, adding that neither option comes without serious consequences. Walking away could be seen as a failure, while expanding the conflict risks making the situation worse.
He was blunt about where the responsibility lies. “Nobody else is responsible for where he’s at than Donald Trump,” he said.
The ex-CIA chief also criticised Trump administration’s approach to allies. “If you’re planning a war, it’s not a bad idea to talk to your allies,” he said, warning that strained ties could make it harder for the US to navigate the crisis.
“There’s no question there’s going to be lives lost but I don’t see the alternative,” he said, stressing that securing the route may be the only way to create space for negotiations and a possible ceasefire.
Meanwhile, the conflict deepened further on Sunday after Iran warned it would strike the energy and water systems of its Gulf neighbours in retaliation if US President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to hit Iran’s electricity grid within 48 hours.
