In the weeks since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, the battle for the narrative over the war's progress has been taking place at the heart of American military power. From week one, I've been inside the Pentagon press briefings given by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, the former Army National Guard Major and Fox News pundit.
From the first update to reporters, when he set out America's war aims, until the latest which followed the announcement of a two-week truce, the man running the world's most powerful military has brought his TV-style, on-screen monologue to the Pentagon podium.
The briefings have been chest-thumping affairs, revelling in portrayals of American military supremacy. Hegseth said on Wednesday the US had scored a capital V military victory. At another briefing, he said the US had dealt death and destruction from the sky all day long.
However, getting to the truth of the war's progress and its toll on the US has taken deeper interrogation. With a tenuous ceasefire in place that is already being tested, there are questions about what the US has actually achieved and at what cost.
### Little progress on nuclear issue
President Trump's core war goal was to deny Iran the ability to develop a nuclear weapon, a claim Iran disputes. This had also been a long-term objective of US-led diplomacy. Trump believed the 2015 Obama-brokered global nuclear deal (JCPOA) was insufficient and subsequently pulled the US out of the agreement, applying sanctions on a compliant Iran, setting a pattern of oscillating between diplomacy and military action.
As the ceasefire persists, evidence suggests minimal progress has been made concerning Iran's nuclear ambitions. International Nuclear watchdog IAEA suggests there may not be a military solution to the problem, suggesting that diplomacy might offer more viable paths forward.
### Degrading Iran's arsenal
While the Trump administration claims it has destroyed much of Iran's military capabilities, independent assessments suggest that Iran retains a considerable portion of its military arsenal. The war, initially aimed at regime change, led to the assassination of significant Iranian figures but did not achieve the expected outcomes.
### The cost of war
The human cost remains staggering, with casualties among US troops and exorbitant financial expenditures. The political cost for Trump has manifested in dwindling support among the populace and pushback from members of Congress. Fractures within his once-steadfast alliance signal potential challenges ahead, and the global economic fallout further complicates the scenario.
### Testing America's allies
Iran's control over critical areas has tested US alliances. Trump's fluctuating stance has underscored the challenges in maintaining cohesive military and diplomatic relations with allied nations, raising concerns about America's reliability on the world stage and shifting perceptions of its role as a superpower. The war's ultimate costs and consequences are yet to unfold, but indications suggest they may be far-reaching.
From the first update to reporters, when he set out America's war aims, until the latest which followed the announcement of a two-week truce, the man running the world's most powerful military has brought his TV-style, on-screen monologue to the Pentagon podium.
The briefings have been chest-thumping affairs, revelling in portrayals of American military supremacy. Hegseth said on Wednesday the US had scored a capital V military victory. At another briefing, he said the US had dealt death and destruction from the sky all day long.
However, getting to the truth of the war's progress and its toll on the US has taken deeper interrogation. With a tenuous ceasefire in place that is already being tested, there are questions about what the US has actually achieved and at what cost.
### Little progress on nuclear issue
President Trump's core war goal was to deny Iran the ability to develop a nuclear weapon, a claim Iran disputes. This had also been a long-term objective of US-led diplomacy. Trump believed the 2015 Obama-brokered global nuclear deal (JCPOA) was insufficient and subsequently pulled the US out of the agreement, applying sanctions on a compliant Iran, setting a pattern of oscillating between diplomacy and military action.
As the ceasefire persists, evidence suggests minimal progress has been made concerning Iran's nuclear ambitions. International Nuclear watchdog IAEA suggests there may not be a military solution to the problem, suggesting that diplomacy might offer more viable paths forward.
### Degrading Iran's arsenal
While the Trump administration claims it has destroyed much of Iran's military capabilities, independent assessments suggest that Iran retains a considerable portion of its military arsenal. The war, initially aimed at regime change, led to the assassination of significant Iranian figures but did not achieve the expected outcomes.
### The cost of war
The human cost remains staggering, with casualties among US troops and exorbitant financial expenditures. The political cost for Trump has manifested in dwindling support among the populace and pushback from members of Congress. Fractures within his once-steadfast alliance signal potential challenges ahead, and the global economic fallout further complicates the scenario.
### Testing America's allies
Iran's control over critical areas has tested US alliances. Trump's fluctuating stance has underscored the challenges in maintaining cohesive military and diplomatic relations with allied nations, raising concerns about America's reliability on the world stage and shifting perceptions of its role as a superpower. The war's ultimate costs and consequences are yet to unfold, but indications suggest they may be far-reaching.
