US faces two options in Iran: military victory or historic policy reversal

The United States is confronted with a stark choice in its conflict with Iran: either pursue a military victory by forcing Iran to its knees, or conduct a ruthless inventory of its Iran policy. It is unclear whether Donald Trump anticipated a modus vivendi in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran would retain some influence over international shipping without full control. Such an arrangement was always a fallacy, given the course of the war so far. Iran cannot afford to remain below its potential, having squandered a historic and existential opportunity. For the US, only two options remain to end the war: win at any cost or admit failure.