It’s becoming increasingly clear that when it comes to geopolitical bellicosity, there is no word for “Uncle” in Arabic or Farsi.

In its war with Iran, the United States is learning what Israel has long known about its Islamist enemies: Perpetually locked and loaded in apocalyptic, messianic, end-of-days dreamscapes, they will respond to total defeats by not surrendering and then, like psychopaths, emerge from the darkness and claim victory.

Therein lies a war strategy where to the survivors go the spoils.