Dear Editor:

Throughout world history, invaders have not fared well against defenders. To name a few pre-20th century wars, the “losses” and “draws” of the aggressors far outnumber the “wins”: the Greco-Persian and the Peloponnesian wars; the Crusades (looking at you, Pistol Pete Hegseth, with your Jerusalem cross and “Deus Vult” tattoos); the American War of Independence; the Napoleonic wars, the Crimean War, and the American Civil War.

The wars of the 20th and early 21st century offer even stronger evidence. Countries and groups that start wars rarely win: World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Yom Kippur War, Soviet - Afghan War, Persian Gulf War, US / NATO - Afghan War, and the US - Iraq war.

Unfortunately for us and the rest of the world, both Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth slept through their history classes. The rise of asymmetric and cyber warfare has evened the odds for weaker defenders; even if they lose, they can impose huge costs on their enemies in blood and treasure.

Now Trump has the Iranian wolf by the ears (or, to change the figure, has punched the tar-oll baby). Johnson and Nixon dropped over eight million tons of bombs on Vietnam and Laos, only to evacuate our forces and leave an embittered enemy firmly in control.

In the first two weeks of the current war, the US-Israeli coalition has struck over 11,000 targets in Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. The theocratic government of Iran remains, even more anti-American.

Whether he ends the war quickly, declaring victory without tangible results, or puts boots on the ground in another forever-war, our zero-sum president now has only lose / lose options.

To his surprise, Iran has counter-attacked Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the UAE, along with U.S. and British military bases. An even more unpleasant surprise has been Iran’s ability to close the Strait of Hormuz and trigger a global energy crisis, with its deep reverberations in trade and financial markets. So: Whose oil tankers are we allowing to transit the Persian Gulf? Iran’s. Whose petroleum exports are no longer sanctioned? Russia’s.

Hostage to his own hubris, Trump is learning history the hard way. Let’s hope for the best but expect the worst.

Bill Hammond

Boothbay