“How long will it take? I don’t know how long it will take,” he said. “We have objectives. We will do this as long as it takes to achieve those objectives.”
— U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, March 2, 2026.
During the summer following my sophomore year in college, I ran into Dale, my high school buddy, and he invited me to play a game of chess. We had played the occasional chess game back in high school, and we were pretty evenly matched — but during the previous two years, Dale had been playing competitively.
Much to my embarrassment, the chess game last about 3 minutes. Checkmate.
Dale didn’t have to worry about his “endgame” — the typical ending of a chess game when very few pieces remain. He had me beat right out of the gate.
Of course, I didn’t have to worry about my “endgame” either.
Needless to say, I quickly decided to never ever play another chess game with Dale.
According to the Lamestream Media, the Leader of the Free World — Donald J. Trump — has been a bit unclear about some messy U.S.-led military actions taking place in the desert east of Israel.
A bit further east than Iraq.
Some of us will remember Iraq… where some messy U.S.-led military actions resulted in a war that lasted about nine years longer, after President “W” declared “Mission Accomplished”.
A nine-year war that resulted in half a million violent deaths, and no clear “victory” for the U.S. Whatever the “endgame” strategy may have been, I have no idea, and I doubt anyone else does either. You would think, after nine years of war, the U.S. would have developed an endgame.
Maybe, wipe your hands and walk away is some kind of endgame.
Reportedly, some economists have argued that the total cost of the Iraq War to the U.S. economy could eventually range from $3 to $6 trillion, including long-term interest on borrowed money, and the expense of caring for U.S. veterans. But who’s counting? We’re already $38 trillion in debt. What’s another $6 trillion, between friends?
Anyway, I was inspired to write about Dale and President “W” when I saw the word “endgame” used in the headline of a BBC.com article earlier this week.
Trump’s Iran endgame unclear after mixed messaging on war aims
suggested that President Trump has been unclear where this ugly new war is headed.
Regime change? That’s been hinted at. Destruction of nuclear capabilities? That’s been hinted at. An end to the manufacture of ballistic missiles? That’s been hinted at.
Control of Iranian oil fields? That has not been hinted at.
The war will last “four or five weeks”, the President has said. But he has also said it would last “as long as it takes.”
As long as it takes… to do what, exactly?
“Whatever the time is, it’s OK. Whatever it takes.”
I find myself wishing Dale were President right about now. It would take about 3 minutes.
But I’m thinking this morning about my own “endgame”. Do I have a plan for my final moves, once I’m down to maybe a King and a Pawn?
Or worse yet, just a King?
And the clock is running out?
One thing for sure, my endgame cannot depend on help from the federal government. They’re busy with other things.
Besides, I wouldn’t want to add to the national debt. Like my dad used to say, I may be crazy, but I’m not stupid.
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all. You can read more stories on his Substack account.