Joe Costa is director of the Atlantic Council’s Forward Defense program. Ely Ratner is a principal at the Marathon Initiative.
The United States has achieved significant tactical gains in its military campaign against Iran. Nuclear facilities have been degraded and military capabilities destroyed. The strategic bill, however, is coming due. Every resource consumed in Iran is now unavailable for the Pacific, where the United States faces its most consequential military challenge. Credibly balancing against China in the foreseeable future will require husbanding resources more carefully.