Leon Panetta, former U.S. Secretary of Defense and a previous Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, has issued a stark warning that the United States risks sliding into an "eternal war" in the Middle East. In an interview with The
Guardian, Panetta indicated that the ongoing armed conflict between Washington and Tehran could persist for another six months, emphasizing that this struggle has reached a stalemate with very limited avenues for resolution. Panetta expressed deep concern that the current U.S. administration
might be heading towards "another failed war," recalling the bitter experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. He believes that Washington's adversaries are now perceiving "weakness" in the current American leadership, which, in his assessment, has been unable to effectively secure its
nation. The former Defense Secretary painted a picture of President Donald Trump's predicament, suggesting he has "trapped himself in an intractable dilemma." According to Panetta's analysis, Trump faces three potential courses of action. The first involves "admitting it is a failed
war" and simply ending military operations, a scenario Panetta described as unlikely. The second option entails continuing to conduct airstrikes while avoiding full-scale escalation, an approach Panetta warned could prolong the conflict. The third is to impose U.S. control over
the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to strip Iran of its primary regional leverage.
