Asia Sentinel

Asia Sentinel

Defense/Security

Deal of the Century or Final Gamble?

Trump’s intervention in Iran: when ‘war’ is not a political goal, but a ‘contractor project’

Our Correspondent
Feb 16, 2026
∙ Paid
On their way! US Navy photo

In the annals of international relations, paradigms rarely shift gradually; they shatter in moments of shock. January was one such watershed. Donald Trump, unburdened by reelection concerns and driven by a legacy mindset, discarded the mask of the traditional statesman to reveal the naked nature of 21st-century power: Politics…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Asia Sentinel to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
A guest post by
Our Correspondent
© 2026 Asia Sentinel · Publisher Privacy
Substack · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture