Leon Panetta, former US secretary of defense, projected that the war with Iran could continue for another six months, the British daily The Guardian reported on September 6 (local time).

Panetta, who served as defense secretary from 2011 to 2013 under the Barack Obama administration, stated, "It is clear that the United States and Iran are locked in a terrible stalemate with few options for ending the war. I believe this conflict is likely to persist unresolved for at least another six months."

He warned that the current conflict is following a trajectory similar to the failed wars in the Middle East like Iraq or Afghanistan, raising the risk of it becoming an "endless war."

"The US military is entering a war at a time when the Department of Defense and the command structure are in massive disarray, creating the impression that there is no one in charge," Panetta said. "Whether it is Iran or other adversaries, they currently perceive weaknesses in America's actual ability to project military power."

He added, "Our major threats come from China, Russia, North Korea, terrorism, and Iran," criticizing that "the fact that we are sending a message of weakness to major adversaries is the most concerning point."

Shortly after the war with Iran began in March, Panetta analyzed in The Guardian that "President Donald Trump is caught in a dilemma between whether to expand the war to eliminate Iran's influence over the Strait of Hormuz or to simply back down and declare victory at the risk of being perceived as having failed."

He pointed out that President Trump is "absolutely" still in the same predicament, noting, "He has trapped himself."

Panetta expressed concern that President Trump faces choices between acknowledging a failed war or accepting a stalemate marked by periodic exchanges of fire between the US and Iran, which would lead to a prolonged war in the Middle East—an outcome all parties have feared.

Otherwise, he projected, President Trump would have to choose to seize the Strait of Hormuz, thereby eliminating Iran's "most dangerous leverage" of controlling the strait.

"President Trump must choose between taking the necessary steps to open the strait or continuing the pretense of game-playing where he claims victory in a stalemate that does not actually exist," he emphasized.

Asked about the "likelihood of a US victory," he replied, "We can only win if there is a dramatic shift in America's attitude, making it clear that America's top immediate goal is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz."

"President Trump has undermined his own credibility by repeatedly making false claims, such as saying that peace negotiations are imminent or that the Strait of Hormuz is open," Panetta pointed out, adding, "Any threats he makes are being completely ignored."

He further emphasized the need to question whether President Trump will make a decisive move to achieve tangible outcomes in the war.
 
(Photo: Getty Images)