It is easy to start a war, but very difficult to end one. That has always been the case and still is. If you are in doubt, just ask Vladamir Putin how things are going in the war he started in Ukraine four years ago.

Think about the Iraq War. We invaded Iraq in 2003. Saddam Hussein was finally captured and eventually executed. But here we are in 2026, having lost 4,500 American lives and having spent a trillion dollars or more, with troops still in Iraq, a country with a weak government trying to rebuild itself.

The war I was involved in, Vietnam, started in 1964–but, at least, it began with a Joint Resolution of Congress…not by Presidential fiat. It officially ended for us in 1973 with 58,000 American war dead as testimony to it.

As a veteran, I have written before in this space, about the realities of war. When you are in one, you soon realize war is caused by failure–negotiations have failed, diplomacy has failed, communication has failed, keeping the peace has failed.

Sometimes wars are unavoidable, but every effort should be made to avoid them. Wars are an admission of failure.

I was hoping that President Trump’s decision to bomb the main operational center where Iran was making its atomic bomb last year would end, at least for now, concerns about Iran making a nuclear weapon. Trump certainly suggested that in his comments that, as a result of that attack, Iran’s nuclear program had been “totally obliterated.”

But, easy success often doesn’t lead to caution. Now, with only Israel as an ally, we have committed thousands of American troops, aircraft, and naval forces to commence what could be another long-term war in the Middle East.

Wars are not only hard to end, but they are unpredictable.

There is no doubt that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was a tyrant. Hopes are that somehow better leadership will rise up in Iran…but will it? Some in Iran are rejoicing in the streets, others are demonstrating in support of the Supreme Leader who was killed. Iran could end up with worse leadership or with a prolonged leadership struggle.

Just think of what would happen in this country if our President, Vice President and many of our leaders were killed…it would create a leadership vacuum even here.

It is an unsettling time to be an American. Our country, with only one ally, has now made a decision to become fully involved in changing the government of Iran. And, we are told, this can be done without sending in troops on the ground. How does that work?

Sadly, the Trump administration is striking out again on its own. Where it will end? We don’t know. What we do know is that wars are easy to start but hard to end.

Rolland Kidder is a Stow resident and a Vietnam veteran.