US-Iran conflict: American military power reaches its limits

On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States, with discussions to end the conflict scheduled to begin on Friday, April 10. This announcement came hours after a threat from the US military to destroy Iranian civilization and revert Iranians to a "stone age," according to Donald Trump. The war has been severe for both sides, leading to questions in the US about the President's cognitive health. The conflict has resulted in immense destruction, war crimes, and significant costs for weaponry. Both Donald Trump and Iranians celebrated the ceasefire, raising questions about who truly won or lost the war and the consequences for American power. The article suggests that the myth of US invincibility has eroded since the Vietnam War, with subsequent interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan demonstrating a struggle to achieve victory despite superior military resources. The US, allied with Israel, fought Iran, yet the conflict concluded at the negotiation table without Iran submitting to their will. The article argues that the US lost to Iran, highlighting that American force did not prevent Iran from being governed by its current leadership. It emphasizes that victory requires intellectual, strategic, and moral capacities beyond military arsenal. Iran achieved a significant strategic victory by closing the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for 20% of global hydrocarbons and fertilizers, which led to rising oil pr