Post-9/11 veterans say renewed military escalation with Iran echoes the early days of America’s longest wars, raising concerns about strategy, sacrifice, and lessons learned.
WASHINGTON | As U.S. military strikes against Iranian targets intensify, many veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan say the unfolding conflict feels hauntingly familiar — a potential repeat of the prolonged campaigns that defined America’s post-9/11 military era.
The renewed hostilities, tied to the ongoing U.S. campaign known as Operation Epic Fury, have triggered deep reflection within the veteran community about the strategic direction of American military policy in the Middle East.
For many veterans, the concern is not simply about the current air campaign but about whether the United States is again entering a conflict without a clearly defined end state.
Veterans Recall the Long Shadow of Iraq and Afghanistan
Following the attacks of 2001, the United States launched major military operations in Afghanistan and later Iraq to dismantle terrorist networks and stabilize the region.
Those campaigns became America’s longest wars, with more than 7,000 U.S. service members killed and tens of thousands wounded before U.S. combat operations ended and troops withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021.
Veterans say the rapid escalation in Iran now carries echoes of those early decisions.
Former Air Force master sergeant Brandon Waithe, who deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, said many veterans worry policymakers have not fully absorbed the lessons of those conflicts.
“There is a sense from the government that they’re kind of using us as pawns,” Waithe said. “They want to send us to war, but they don’t want to pay for the results of it.”
A Generation of Veterans More Skeptical of War
Many post-9/11 veterans describe their generation as more cautious about military intervention after witnessing the human and strategic costs of prolonged counterinsurgency campaigns.
Former infantry officer Jason Dempsey, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said the mood among veterans today is markedly different from earlier eras of U.S. military engagement.
“There’s a much greater sense of melancholy and disappointment at this latest iteration of what we’re doing,” Dempsey said.
Veterans argue that military victories on the battlefield do not automatically translate into long-term strategic success, a lesson they say was painfully learned during the wars that followed 9/11.
Concerns Over Strategy and Endgame
The current conflict escalated after the United States launched airstrikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure. President Donald Trump has said operations could continue until Iran agrees to an “unconditional surrender.”
However, analysts and veterans alike say the administration has offered shifting explanations for the campaign’s objectives, ranging from dismantling nuclear capabilities to weakening Iran’s missile programs or pursuing regime change.
Iranian officials have rejected surrender demands and pledged to continue resisting U.S. pressure, raising fears that the conflict could expand across the region.
Veterans Question Whether the U.S. Learned from Past Wars
Many veterans say their biggest concern is whether policymakers fully understand the long-term consequences of military intervention.
“You served in Iraq, you want our country to have learned a certain set of lessons about military force,” Klay said. “A certain kind of caution when it comes to this.”
Others worry that rapid military escalation without clear political goals could lead to another extended conflict.
Combat engineer Chris Purdy, who deployed to Iraq in 2011, warned that military operations must be guided by a coherent long-term strategy.
Veterans Network Reports Growing Anxiety
Within the broader veteran community, concerns are spreading through informal networks and advocacy groups.
Former Air Force reservist Cynthia Kao, who served in Afghanistan, said she has fielded numerous calls from fellow veterans worried about the direction of the conflict.
Some reservists fear they could soon be mobilized as the conflict expands, while others worry the war could lead to a prolonged military commitment similar to earlier Middle East campaigns.
Despite differing political views, veterans broadly agree on one point: the stakes are high, and the human costs of war extend far beyond the battlefield.
War’s Human Toll Remains Central Concern
The renewed conflict has already resulted in casualties. U.S. officials have confirmed that seven American service members have been killed in combat operations linked to the Iran conflict.
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| Army veteran Christopher William McFarland protests the war in Iran on March 2, 2026, in Clarksville, Tennessee. | George Walker IV/AP |
For veterans who have experienced the realities of war firsthand, the statistics represent something far more personal.
“People are killed — sons, daughters, brothers, fathers,” said former Marine helicopter pilot Keegan Evans. “And the very legitimate question becomes: What is it for?”
As the conflict with Iran continues to unfold, veterans say the most important question remains whether the United States has truly learned from the wars that shaped their generation.
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-- By Leticia Jacobs
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