# The Iran War at Six Months: Has the U.S. Already Lost?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/kqed-s-forum-910728/the-iran-war-at-six-months-has-the-u-s-already-lost
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/kqed-s-forum-910728/the-iran-war-at-six-months-has-the-u-s-already-lost.md
Podcast: [KQED's Forum](https://stenobird.com/podcast/kqed-s-forum-910728)
Published: 2026-08-28T18:28:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC8433519557.mp3
Audio file: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/KQINC8433519557.mp3
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Duration seconds: 3282

## Resource

Six months into the war with Iran, the quick victory President Trump predicted remains elusive. As Iran’s hardline regime remains defiant, Atlantic writer and military affairs expert Tom Nichols says the United States has already lost strategically: Iran has gained control of the Strait of Hormuz, strained U.S. alliances and depleted American military resources. Nichols also argues that the ongoing conflict has made Trump more reckless, driving him to make ever more irrational foreign policy choices. We talk to Nichols about the costs of the war and where it goes from here. Guest: Tom Nichols, staff writer, The Atlantic; professor emeritus of national security affairs, U.S. Naval War College Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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## Transcript

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