Pape: US 'Squeaking Out' of Iran Deal to Dodge Defeat
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- Robert Pape, professor of political science at the University of Chicago, argues the war on Iran is "probably the true bookend to that idea that America can't be beat"
- The United States is trying to "squeak out" of the stipulations of its deal with Iran, according to Pape
- Israel becomes "an isolated nuclear Sparta" and "more of a garrison state than it is today" under the deal's terms, Pape contends
- Iran is "deftly using drones to its advantage," a parallel Pape draws to Ukraine in its fight against Russia
- Russia should cut a deal soon because "it will just get worse and worse," Pape warns
- The Iran fallout curbs US hubris and challenges Trump's self-image, per the article's framing
Why it matters: Pape recasts the Iran war not as a US triumph but as the closing chapter of American invincibility, arguing the deal's terms will militarize Israel into an "isolated nuclear Sparta" — a structural shift that constrains future US strategic flexibility. By drawing a parallel to Ukraine's drone advantage over Russia, Pape implies Moscow faces the same eroding battlefield position and should negotiate before conditions deteriorate further.
