When does war work?

I find myself genuinely curious: why aren’t more current discussions focused on the overwhelming reality that, since World War II, when the United States has sent men and women to fight overseas, the outcome has almost always been a net negative, overwhelmingly so? The persistent myth that removing a nation’s leaders will prompt its people to rejoice in the streets and praise America is just that, a fantasy.

Perhaps the air campaign in Kosovo stands as an exception, offering a more positive outcome for a larger number people in that region. But as I search for other examples over the past eighty years, I struggle to find clear victories. At least, not ones that benefit anyone beyond those who profit from war.

By now, it should be universally accepted that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have not been successful. If there’s a metric I’m missing, I’m open to hearing it, but I remain unconvinced that we, or those countries, are safer, more stable, or better off as a result of the United States interventions both directly and in many cases, indirectly. Not to mention, as many have pointed out, that the American people were lied to about the reasons we needed to send troops and fight those wars.

My view is based on two core ideas. First, the rising tide of global displacement helps almost no one, certainly not those living far removed from conflict, unless they’re somehow profiting from the chaos themselves. Second, one of life’s great joys is the opportunity to experience different parts of the world and encounter unfamiliar cultures. Regions that grow more open and welcoming challenge our fears and enrich our lives. I’ve been fortunate to visit many places that now feel off-limits, ravaged by war and conflict. When I think of the people I’ve met, I realize that the same kinds of individuals we know in our own communities exist everywhere.

If you believe that war is the solution for a country like Iran with its 90+ million people, then you must be able to explain how. It’s far too easy to dehumanize the other side and rally a coalition to justify war, but the outcomes consistently show that these decisions benefit a select few while countless others suffer. The burden of proof should be on those who argue for war, not against it. We must stop falling for the trope that war is necessary for our own safety, when history shows that extremism is often born and thrives in regions left unlivable by conflict.

Let’s not fall for the tired trope that “Iran screams death to America” represents what most people want. The vast majority of people, everywhere, just want to live quietly and safely with their families. That’s as true in the Middle East as it is anywhere else. We need to stop buying into the myth that whole populations, or even most people, are driven by hatred. It’s simply not reality.