Donald Trump has set a political deadline for ending the war with Iran: immediately after the US midterm elections. On September 9, he linked that prediction to allegations that Tehran was trying to influence the vote. But what will change on the battlefield or at the negotiating table after the election that cannot change before […]

For decades, Washington has justified its military presence in the Middle East as necessary to protect global energy security. American naval forces would safeguard shipping, military partnerships would deter attacks on oil-producing states, and sanctions would restrain governments regarded as threats to the US-led regional order. The promise was simple: American power would keep energy […]