The Reality of Middle East Conflicts Catches Up With the Trump Administration

Donald Trump is being drawn into the hot conflicts of the Middle East in ways that will define his presidency. Like the idealistic Barack Obama before he became president in 2009, Trump campaigned on promises that he would not allow the United States to get stuck in the region. Unlike Obama, Trump is confident that more military might will provide quick results, while showing little sign of preparing for postwar challenges or real disagreements with regional partners.

Reality is catching up with the new administration. The Middle East has long proven its power to lure American leaders, often reluctantly, into its battles. Trump has a simple formula: The presence and use of American military power will deter adversaries enough to allow the U.S. to move on and focus on his compelling domestic agenda. Previous presidents have also hoped that America’s high-risk engagements, from Vietnam to Iraq, would stabilize enough to permit a politically acceptable exit. But Trump is now learning that it’s hard to control the timing or the costs of such transitions. ...