The war with Iran remains a contentious, defining issue. Supporters argue that initiating the campaign on Feb. 28, 2026, was a vital pre-emptive strike against an existential nuclear threat as Iranian enrichment neared weaponization thresholds and diplomacy stalled. Decisive military action shattered subterranean centrifuge cascades and missile launch sites, eliminated senior command leadership, and restored degraded regional deterrence.
Opponents contend the intervention was a strategic failure. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz ignited global economic fallout, driving oil prices higher and accelerating worldwide inflation and unemployment. Meanwhile, strikes failed to eliminate covert nuclear know-how while solidifying a more radical regime dominated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The conflict has claimed thousands of lives, including 23 U.S. service members, and severely depleted allied interceptor stockpiles.
What are the conflict’s origins, likely trajectory, and broader implications for Middle East stability and American security?
On Sunday, Nov. 15, at 9:45 a.m., Dr. Gary Samore will address these vital questions at First United Church of Oak Park (Centennial Hall, 848 Lake St.). Dr. Samore served as White House coordinator for arms control and weapons of mass destruction under President Obama, playing an instrumental role in negotiations for both the 2010 New START treaty with Russia and the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal. Following six years as executive director for research at the Harvard Kennedy School, he currently serves as director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University.
The event is free and open to the public. To reserve a seat, please RSVP to adulteducation@firstunitedoakpark.com.
Eric Samore
River Forest