Why is Trump still bombing Iran? Nixon’s Vietnam record offers a clue | Kenneth Roth

Kenneth Roth argues that Trump's ongoing military strikes against Iran reflect a pattern similar to Richard Nixon's prolonged Vietnam War strategy—both leaders continuing conflicts to avoid the political cost of withdrawal rather than to achieve concrete military objectives. Roth contends that Nixon pursued "peace with honor" in Vietnam as a way to shield his own reputation while the war dragged on, causing years of additional deaths, and suggests Trump faces similar pressure to justify continued operations against Iran for face-saving reasons. The comparison underscores how leaders can perpetuate military conflicts not for strategic gain but to avoid the domestic political damage of admitting defeat or abandoning a conflict. Roth warns that without a genuine strategic rationale, Trump risks inflicting further devastation in pursuit of an "honorable exit" that may never materialize.