The Role of War in US Domestic Politics

Chinese international relations expert Gong pointed out that there is a relentless struggle between two powerful dynamics in the US. As a professor at the Institute of International Relations at Nankin University, Gong evaluated the cost of the US's conflicts with Iran, which has reached $37.5 billion.Gong noted that there is a fierce struggle between two powerful dynamics in the US, analyzing the balances in Washington and the future of the conflict.

On the one hand, President Trump, using his executive power, gives a relative advantage to the hawkish faction that supports the continuation of military operations. There is already an influential faction in US politics that historically advocates for a tough stance against Iran.

The Chinese academic emphasized that if the conflict drags on, the Washington administration will be under immense strategic pressure, continuing his words as follows:

On the other hand, the prolongation of military operations will put the US political leadership under immense pressure. In particular, the prolongation of conflicts will lead to a further increase in energy prices.

Regarding the short-term future of the war, Gong stated, “At this point, both the war hawks and the doves have strong arguments and positions. However, as long as Trump holds executive power, we can say that operations against Iran will continue in the short term and will not change direction immediately due to opposition pressure.”Gong emphasized that the stance of the Tehran administration will also play a decisive role in the course of the process, pointing to the political dynamics within Iran:

The developments are also dependent on Iran's stance. As seen, there is a very sharp struggle for influence between the 'hawks' and 'doves' within Iran.