Competing worldviews—competing strategies
By Jim Fletcher
As the Iran War drags on—despite American and to a lesser degree Israeli positivity—we see this week some disturbing signs that Iran had a strategy after all.
A new missile model, utilizing satellites, caught the West off-guard. Then, some cleverness regarding the Strait of Hormuz (at the pincer-point between Iran and the UAE) has somewhat slowed Allied gains. Mining the Strait has proven to be a dangerous counter-punch by Iran. Then, there has been talk that the Marines might be sent in to secure Kharg Island, just off the Iranian coast, in order to control things better.
This after President Trump has predicted several times that the war would not last long at all. It’s already lasted longer than anyone imagined—except experienced military strategists. And let’s remember: it’s very rare to bring a nation to its knees relying solely on air power. And though American and Israeli air forces have made shocking gains, there are still no boots on the ground; most strategists believe that is necessary to overthrowing a regime. (Ariel Sharon once told me that Israel could never be conquered so long as the ground, the topography, was not invaded. In reality, only Babylon and the Romans managed that in antiquity.
The Western mind struggles to understand Eastern things. Especially just what the mullahs are thinking, and how they form strategies. But some comments this week by my friend Brian Schrauger shed some light. He provides a compelling reason why Iran is doing what it’s doing. Clearly the regime is playing for time. But they have an underlying theme they operate from.
“The predictions were wrong. When the war with Iran began on February 28th, analysts expected the hardest parts to be over in two weeks. Instead, Iran revealed intercontinental missile range nobody knew it had, closed the Strait of Hormuz, and deployed its most advanced weapons — supersonic missiles that change trajectory mid-flight and release cluster bomblets before impact.”
And here is the core of Brian’s superb point:
“Iran's most sophisticated missiles—the Sejjil and Fattah-1—are supersonic, change trajectory mid-flight, descend vertically at incredible speed, and release deadly bomblets before impact. Interception is virtually impossible.
“Why won't Iran stop? Because its regime is viscerally committed to bringing about the return of its Shia messiah, the Mahdi. They gladly fight to the death believing Allah will honor them for it.”
This is the key to understanding our enemy. This is theological as much as geopolitics. I believe very few in the West understand this, especially our leadership. In the 90s, I was reading Avi Lipkin’s insight on this, as well as Steve Emerson. They were considered somewhat fringe thinkers. As subversives burrowed-into our government, such insightful men were brushed off. Then came 9/11. (Btw, Laura Loomer on X today posted her warning that a 9/11-type event is coming, and it will be “10 times bigger.” We’ll see, but I put more into warnings like this than I do the delusional optimism of Witkoff and Kushner.)
Avi Abelow also posted on Facebook this week, regarding the West’s strategies as opposed to our diabolical enemy in Tehran:
“Trump is being Trump. He bluffs, he pressures, he disrupts expectations, and he keeps everyone guessing. That is part of his strategy.
“While people obsess over every statement, real events are unfolding on the ground, and Iran is not preparing for peace. The Islamic regime of Iran is actively attacking, bombing American bases in Syria and Iraq right now. That is not the behavior of a regime seeking compromise. That is the behavior of a regime committed to war.”
Two weeks ago, “World Jerusalem Day” parades were held in Iran. They intend to “liberate” the capital. This is theological. And yet…Iran has also lobbed missiles that have come very close to obliterating the Al-Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. This is where irrationality trumps their military strategy. Hitler opened his own nation up to obliteration through air campaigns because he and his flunky, Joseph Goebbels, were committed publicly to the “total war” concept. It is an insane plan that insane people implement.
All this activity has spread across the Middle East. This month, pro-Iranian militias in Iraq (a hellhole if there ever was one) have attacked American bases. And according to another report, Iran shows clearly its “messianic” beliefs.
“In an interview with reporters during the Jerusalem Day march in Tehran, the head of the judiciary, Gholam-Hossein Ejei, declared Iran’s support for the Palestinian people and said that Iran is committed to the Palestinian cause (Mizan News, March 13, 2026). Ahmad Khatami, the Friday prayer leader in Tehran, said in his sermon that the establishment of peace and stability requires the disappearance of Israel and that no trace of it would remain. He added that as long as the United States and the ‘Zionist regime’ still existed, humanity would not have peace and that, with God’s help, the fighters of Islam would make the enemies regret it by destroying them.”
Oh my. If the mullahs feel their messiah is coming soon, we know that ours most assuredly is getting ready to stand up.
Maranatha!