Echoes of 2003.

In this handout image provided by the White House, President Bush, second from right, receives an update on the status of military action in Iraq Thursday, March 20, 2003 in the Oval Office of the White House. From left are, Vice President Dick Cheney, back to camera, CIA Director George Tenet, the president and Chief of Staff Andy Card. (AP Photo/Eric Draper, White House)

Twenty-three years ago today, President George W. Bush believed two things. First, he believed that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was in possession of ‘weapons of mass destruction’ – a.k.a. WMDs. Such would include nuclear, biological and chemical weapons of war. Second, he believed that Iraq represented unfinished business from 1991 when his father was president and launched Operation Desert Storm to get Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait.

Thus believing, W launched Operation Iraqi Freedom. After an initial flush of success, Operation Iraqi Freedom turned into a mishandled occupation and failed attempt at nation building. And no WMDs were ever found. The Iraq War would go on to see George W. Bush leave office with truly dismal poll numbers.

Three weeks ago, Saturday, President Donald Trump believed two things. First, he believed that despite the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities last summer, the theocrats running Iran were nevertheless still close to having a deployable nuclear weapon and in any event would never give up their quest for nuclear weapons by which to threaten the Middle East and indeed the entire civilized world.

And second, he believed that with respect to Iran, there was no road left for further can-kicking.

So, he launched Operation Epic Fury.

Like Operation Iraqi Freedom, there has been a quick flush of success. Trump is promising that American air and naval superiority will make short work of the malfeasant Iranian regime. Certainly, it has made short work of the existing leadership. Iran is on its third ayatollah in as many weeks.

Iran is badly crippled. Much of its ballistic missile arsenal has been wiped out. So, too, its navy and many of its top military and government leaders.

But, degraded as the regime is, whoever is in charge is playing an ace in the Strait of Hormuz. Despite being crippled, Iran has brought traffic in that strategic waterway to an effective halt. Fully 20 percent of the world’s fossil-based energy transits the strait, and that energy is now missing from the world supply. The result is, among other things, higher gasoline prices for American consumers, very volatile equity and energy markets, and fears of reignited inflation.

I absolutely support the idea of once and for all ridding the world of the Iranian regime that has held the Middle East and the developed world hostage for nearly a half century. But, as much as I’d like to believe otherwise and for as much as some pundits for whom I have respect disagree with me, I am skeptical of the idea that doing so will be quick and easy. War never is.

Does that mean I believe Trump shouldn’t have done it. No. Or, at least, no, not necessarily.

But it does mean this. We can’t afford another half-assed, half measure stalemate.

I’m afraid of this war dragging on and, among other things, costing the GOP the midterms. But I’m even more afraid of having started it only to politically destroy the Trump presidency while leaving a still dangerous Iran to the next administration.