Donald Trump's ill-considered war

唐纳德·特朗普考虑不周的战争

Editor's Picks from The Economist

2026-03-06

8 分钟
PDF

单集简介 ...

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. America has dealt a severe blow to the Iranian regime by killing its supreme leader. But without clear goals, this military operation risks developing into an unwinnable, chaotic war. Topics covered: - Iran war - United States - World economy Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
更多

单集文稿 ...

  • Hello, this is Rosie Bloor, co-host of The Intelligence, our daily news and current affairs podcast.

  • Welcome to Editor's Picks.

  • We've chosen an article from the latest edition of The Economist that we thought you might enjoy.

  • Please do have a listen.

  • It is rare for one head of government to order the death of another.

  • Yet on February 28, America's President and Israel's Prime Minister did just that,

  • killing Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

  • The decapitation of the Iranian regime reflects the devastating operational success of Operation Epic Fury.

  • But Mr Hamanui's place was immediately taken by a triumvirate.

  • The next supreme leader could be named soon, perhaps his own son, unless he too is killed.

  • That augurs something more subtle and worrying,

  • that the operation is failing to achieve its political goals.

  • It is naive to say, as some of Mr.

  • Trump's cheerleaders do, that because Mr.

  • Khamenei was wicked, and he surely was, any sort of war makes sense.

  • When you command a machine as lethal and overwhelming as America's armed forces,

  • united in this operation with the battle-hardened Israel Defense Forces,

  • you have a special responsibility to define what you want to achieve.

  • That is not only an ethical requirement, it is a practical one too.

  • War aims direct the campaign.