Years ago, in an outdoor market in Mexico, I stopped to buy a straw hat. The vendor quoted 50 pesos. Having heard that bargaining was expected, I offered 40. He picked up the hat, examined it thoughtfully, and said, “I’m sorry. I made a mistake. The price is actually 60 pesos.” After hard bargaining, I finally bought the hat — for 55 pesos.
That story comes to mind as President Donald Trump scrambles to negotiate an end to the war with Iran, eager to return to the status quo that existed before he started it.
But the leverage has jumped sides. Having demonstrated their willingness to absorb military and economic pressure, the Iranians have little incentive to accept our terms.
America goes into wars believing our overwhelming strength guarantees victory. We underestimate our opponent’s commitment and resilience. History teaches the same lesson every time: From Vietnam to Iraq to Afghanistan, wars are easy to start and excruciatingly costly — in blood and treasure — to finish.
Trump is many things, but he is no student of history. He believed he could outsmart the Iranians. He couldn’t. He believed he could outlast them. He couldn’t. He believed he could out-negotiate them. He couldn’t.
He is discovering that, like buying a straw hat, the person who wants the deal the most pays a higher price.
AARON SHIPPER
New Orleans