# The Limits of American Power

> U.S. military overreach risks deeper failures as Trump administration ignores historical lessons.
- Title: The Limits of American Power · Foreign Affairs | Shortify
- Summary: U.S. military overreach risks deeper failures as Trump administration ignores historical lessons. U.S. strategy overestimates military power, leading to…
- Keywords: us military, iran, trump administration, military strategy, vietnam war, gulf war, iraq war, afghanistan war, moral high ground, geography, enemy will, power limits
- Source: Foreign Affairs — https://foreignaffairs.com/united-states/limits-american-power-william-mcraven
- Author: William H. McRaven
- Published: 2026-10-20T04:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: us military, iran, trump administration, military strategy, vietnam war, gulf war, iraq war, afghanistan war, moral high ground, geography, enemy will, power limits
## U.S. Strategy and the Delusion of Force
The war in Iran is far from the first time U.S. policymakers have failed to appreciate the limits of American power.
## Trump's Iran War Strategy
The war was launched without a clear rationale and with a constantly shifting set of objectives, from changing Tehran’s regime and squelching its nuclear ambitions to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
## Poor Results in Iran
The results, not surprisingly, have been bad both for U.S. interests and for the Middle East.
## Historical Pattern of Overreach
The overestimation of the potential of military force has been a growing feature of American strategy since at least the end of World War II.
## Vietnam as a Case Study
Vietnam the clearest and most consequential example of this overreach.
## Post-Vietnam Military Decline
The military I entered in 1977 was struggling in the aftermath of Vietnam with a dramatic drawdown in manpower and money.
## Reagan's Military Expansion
President Ronald Reagan increased defense spending by 35 percent over eight years starting in 1981.
## Military Modernization
The military received new equipment including the M-1 Abrams tank, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and Apache helicopters.
## Post-Cold War Confidence
The military was transformed by the Goldwater-Nichols Act and the establishment of U.S. Special Operations Command.
## Gulf War Strategy
Bush ordered military deployment to the region and worked with Saudi Arabia to establish a footprint in the kingdom.
## International Coalition Building
Bush built a coalition with Arab states, European allies, and Moscow and Beijing to support the military operation.
## Clear Military Objectives
The coalition aimed to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait without pushing to Baghdad.
## Gulf War Success
Operation Desert Storm achieved its goals in 43 days with 100 hours of ground operations.
## Post-War Euphoria
The victory proved intoxicating, drawing us back into the false belief that our power could do almost anything.
## Afghanistan War Failures
The war in Afghanistan began with noble intentions but devolved into a protracted fight with shifting goals.
## Iraq War Missteps
The Iraq war degenerated into a counterinsurgency mission with insufficient forces and an evolving timeline.
## Iran War Strategy
The Iran war began with a U.S.-Israeli strike on February 28 without building international legitimacy.
## Iran War Mistakes
An early airstrike hit an Iranian elementary school, killing 120 students.
## Iran War Objectives
The administration claimed urgency to preempt an Iranian nuclear weapon but later dismissed concerns as inconsequential.
## Geographical Limits
The Strait of Hormuz is Iran’s weapon of mass destruction and bulwark against invasion.
## Key takeaway

U.S. strategy overestimates military power, leading to costly failures in Iran and past conflicts.