'The Opinions': General Stanley McChrystal on Iran

Key Takeaways

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  US-Iran tensions are rooted in a 70-year cycle of grievances - modern conflict cannot be understood without the context of the 1953 coup, the 1979 revolution, and the 'Axis of Evil' designation which drive Iranian decision-making.

  “Whenever we think of what's happening now, if we don't understand that journey to this point, we don't understand the attitudes that are going to drive decisions people make.”

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  Iran's national identity is forged by extreme historical trauma - the brutal eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s created a resilient veteran class and a clerical leadership with far more staying power than typical authoritarian regimes.

  “Iran survives this eight-year, extraordinary experience, twice as long as the First World War. And it sets a mark upon the Iranian population that we shouldn't forget to this day.”

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  Decapitation strikes are likely a strategic 'vain hope' - the theological and ideological commitment of the Iranian regime makes a quick, Venezuelan-style collapse improbable compared to traditional secular dictatorships.

  “There was some expectation that you could do something very rapid, very fast, decapitation strike... that was a bit of a vain hope, because you have a very different composition of the enemy.”

Episode Description

Did President Trump fall for the myth of surgical warfare? Gen. Stanley McChrystal joins the columnist David French, both veterans of the Iraq War, to discuss what may have been overlooked in the planning of Operation Epic Fury. McChrystal, who retired from the Army in 2010, argues that the United States often overestimates the decisive power of aerial bombing while underestimating the weight of historical grievance. And the general weighs in on the current culture of bravado coming from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. This conversation was recorded on Friday, March 20.  Thoughts? Questions? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur and Victoria Chamberlin. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Alison Bruzek. Mixing by Isaac Jones and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair, Mary Marge Locker and Michelle Harris. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.