Exiting a war is often harder than entering one. As the United States faces an ongoing conflict with Iran, history shows that leaving a war may be more difficult than fighting it. 

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are clear examples of unclear goals, a lack of exit strategies and prolonged conflict that the United States enters. 

The U.S. government should remember the lessons of the Iraq War. The United States overthrew Saddam Hussein and his regime in 2003, achieving its main objective. However, after he was removed from power, instability throughout the country quickly followed. Armed groups and former soldiers took power, and there were years of violence across Iraq. 

This shows that the aftermath of war is often when conditions begin to deteriorate. 

The U.S. government should take this into consideration when exploring options to end the war in Iran. The Iraq War highlighted the fact that removing a government does not mean the situation is resolved. It can create a higher level of uncertainty that makes exiting the war more difficult. 

The war in Afghanistan is another example. The United States invaded the country after the September 11 attacks with the goal of capturing Osama bin Laden, eliminating al-Qaeda, and removing the Taliban from power. While the U.S. initially made progress toward these goals, bin Laden escaped into Pakistan and was not killed by U.S. Navy SEALs until 2011. Instead of leaving, the United States shifted its objective to rebuilding the country and establishing a new government. 

The goals continued to change over time, and it became harder to define what level of “success” the United States achieved. Two decades after entering the country, U.S. forces finally withdrew in 2021, and the Taliban quickly regained power, forcing many people to question what the war achieved long term, especially given the cost in time, money and lives. 

Both the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan demonstrate the risks when conflicts extend beyond their original objectives. Any conflict risks sending soldiers onto foreign soil and bringing other countries into war, which makes it much harder to withdraw. 

Public support for these wars also dropped over time, and the same thing will likely happen with the war in Iran. This war will likely lead to frustration over rising costs, ongoing troop deployments, and unclear outcomes, including when it ends. 

Ultimately, Iraq and Afghanistan are both examples of the same reality: Winning a war is one thing but determining how to end it is often far more difficult. When there are not clear goals and a realistic exit strategy, the United States risks becoming entrenched in conflicts that are easy to enter but extremely difficult to leave.