Read the full article in the Wall Street Journal.
Iran Uses Asymmetric Warfare to Inflict Pain From a Weakened Position
Iran’s downing of two U.S. warplanes is the most striking evidence yet that, despite enormous military losses, Tehran can still significantly raise the cost of continuing the conflict for the U.S. and Israel.
The shootdowns were the most successful demonstration of Iran’s military strategy to inflict tactical defeats on the U.S. and its allies in hopes not of winning militarily, but of surviving and sapping their will to continue the fight.
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What’s amazing about this story is that it hasn’t happened sooner,” said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dave Deptula, who ran the air campaign for the 1990-91 Gulf War against Iraq. “There have been thousands of targets hit with thousands of sorties penetrating contested airspace. It’s been an entire month and this is the first time we’ve had a combat loss? That’s incredible.”