Col. Douglas Macgregor believes this war stopped being about Iran's nuclear program a long time ago; from Tehran's perspective, it's now about survival.
He says every threat, every reversed position, every broken ceasefire and every shifting objective has convinced Iran that Washington isn't negotiating in good faith.
That changes everything, because once your opponent believes the real objective is the destruction of their state, compromise becomes almost impossible.
According to Col. Macgregor, that's why Trump's latest threats are unlikely to force Iran to back down.
If anything, they'll reinforce Tehran's belief that there is no diplomatic off-ramp.
The danger, he says, is that Washington responds by doubling down.
There is already growing discussion about seizing Iranian territory, including Kharg Island, which he thinks would be a catastrophic mistake.
An American landing force would face missiles, drones, artillery, extreme heat, vulnerable supply lines, and an enemy fighting on its own soil.
Instead of becoming America's bargaining chip, those troops could quickly become Iran's.
Meanwhile, the economic costs keep mounting, and the war is becoming harder for everyone to sustain.
Which leaves Washington facing an uncomfortable reality.
Military escalation isn't creating a path to peace; it's destroying the trust needed to negotiate one.
@DougAMacgregor
