Breaking that habit is not easy. It requires moral fortitude and, yes, bravery in the face of an almost-certain backlash from the domestic political elements that favor endless war.
Trump hasn’t always been up to the task. He’s fired missiles into Syria and backed down from a plan to bring American troops home from Afghanistan. He’s ordered more troops to be sent to the Middle East in recent weeks. It’s probably right to remain skeptical of the idea that last night’s near-miss on war with Iran means military conflict is off the table.
But, for one night at least, Trump lived up to the non-interventionist message he delivered to voters in 2016. Remember, Trump won the White House by directly defeating the heirs to the Clinton- and Bush-era foreign policy disasters that have cost America and the Middle East so much blood and treasure. Even as John Bolton—Trump’s national security advisor and the architect of the catastrophic Iraq War—and others have tried to steer America into a conflict with Iran, Trump has appeared unconvinced about the necessity of violence.
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