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A Brief Assessment of the U.S.’ Iran Strategy

Posted: May 16th, 2019

By John McLaughlin

John E. McLaughlin is the Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).  He served as Acting Director of Central Intelligence from July to September 2004 and as Deputy Director of Central Intelligence from October 2000 to July 2004. He was a US Army Officer in the 1960s, with service in Vietnam.

It’s been a week of escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, beginning on Monday with reporting by The New York Times that senior U.S. leaders were reviewing plans to send as many as 120,000 U.S. troops to the region, in the event that Iran launches attacks against U.S. interests, or reinstates work on its nuclear program.

Leaders from both Iran and the U.S. have publicly said they do not want war, and are seeking diplomatic solutions.  Where is this headed?

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