Seven months into a war that began in February, House Speaker Mike Johnson stood before cameras to defend a conflict that a majority of Americans now oppose, invoking religion to explain why Iran cannot be trusted at the negotiating table — a claim that contradicts both Islamic doctrine and the assessments of US intelligence agencies. The war, launched alongside Israel on the premise of nuclear threat, has shuttered the Strait of Hormuz, driven up energy prices, and left the administration searching for allies who have yet to arrive. In moments like these, history reminds us that the stories n