How the ‘victory trap' places competing demands on US presidents

Since the events of 9/11 the US has embroiled itself in a number of conflicts as part of the War on Terror, such as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Throughout many of these conflicts, US presidents have emphasized the need for victory over opposing forces. Jonny Hall looks at what he terms, the ‘victory trap’, where fear of losing face – and office – means American leaders work to persuade the electorate that decisive victory is attainable in the conflicts the country is involved in. This rhetoric, he writes, traps presidents between the need for victory and the strategic realities of conflicts and public reluctance towards the costs of war.