In strategic terms, I think this is inarguably true. Vietnam cost 55,000 US lives. But the consequence of losing was basically nothing, it was always just LBJ's ego, then Nixon's. Trump, OTOH, took down free sea transit and the mideast balance of power by starting something he couldn't finish.
Thomas (he/him)
I’m in @foreignpolicy.com taking a big swing (but not a hot take): Trump’s defeat in Iran is a bigger US defeat in strategic terms than the US loss in Vietnam
foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/16/i...
foreignpolicy.com
A war of choice has turned into a strategic disaster for Washington.
