Winning in Iran Requires More Than Military Success: Epic Fury is when Arabs fight each other for the benefit of the United States. How did American politicians manage this? Three components of success. The ability of the Americans to attack first. The ability of Iran to retaliate and wage a long war. And Israel’s strong fighting qualities.
Epic Fury Begins
The preconditions for Epic Fury were laid long before 2026. Decades ago, the U.S. government established military bases in the oil-producing monarchies of the Persian Gulf. (1) The main purpose of this action was not the military personnel and equipment. The main purpose was the conditions under which these bases were used.
Based on Operation Epic Fury,(2) American bases can be used to attack other states, even if those states do not attack first Arab countries where American bases are located. This means that American bases are infrastructure for attack, not just defense. The attack capability provided by the conditions for the deployment of military bases was a major geopolitical victory for the United States and a major geopolitical defeat for the oil-producing monarchies of the Persian Gulf. For the Arabs, a geopolitical victory would have been the conditions under which American bases could only be used for defense against external aggression. However, the Arabs were unable or unwilling to achieve such conditions. And this was their mistake. Because by allowing the Americans to attack first, the Arabs lost their neutrality. If the Americans attack any country, the Arabs become participants in the war on the American side.
The Americans’ ability to attack first was the primary reason for Epic Fury’s success.
Five years before the current events, American politicians took another step toward success in Epic Fury. On August 30, 2021, the United States withdrew troops from Afghanistan.(3) Many politicians, including American ones, assessed this decision as a geopolitical defeat or even a disgrace for the United States. However, this is not the case. The American withdrawal from Afghanistan is a creation of Iran, which is necessary for victory in Epic Fury.
By leaving Afghanistan, the Americans provided Iran with safe transport routes to Pakistan, China, and even North Korea. This significantly improved Iran’s supply of essential resources and increased the confidence of Iranian politicians. A protracted war with the United States became possible for Iran. Tehran began to believe that war with the United States was not necessarily a death sentence. This gave Tehran the courage to retaliate in the event of a U.S. attack.
The Iranian politicians’ opinion turned out to be partially correct. But only partially. Indeed, the Americans don’t need Iran’s military defeat. What the Americans need is Iranians bold enough to start a protracted war with the United States. And American politicians created such confidence among Iranian politicians. The American withdrawal from Afghanistan became the basis for Iran’s strikes against the oil-producing countries of the Persian Gulf. U.S. politicians created the enemy they needed!
Iran’s ability to wage war for a long time was the second reason for Epic Fury’s success.
It took a regional irritant to get things moving. That’s Israel! A country in dire straits. Since its creation on May 14, 1948,(4) Israel has won every battle but lost the war for its very existence. Because Israel has failed to make its Arab neighbors its friends. Israelis have nothing to lose. They need to radically improve their position in the Middle East, otherwise the Middle East will destroy Israel. Only a top-level alliance with the United States will save the country.
Jews are honest, courageous, and wise people. They objectively assess and respond to situations. In response to the attack by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, Israel was the first to go to war with Iran, attacking Iranian-controlled military groups in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. (5) The Israelis also launched strikes on Iranian territory. This occurred two and a half years before the official start of Epic Fury. Back then, Jews honestly invested in the war, losing their own lives, suffering material losses, and, most importantly, suffering reputational damage, which is the most painful blow to Israel.(6)
Israel
In this way, Israel demonstrated its willingness to pay the full price to achieve its geopolitical goals. This means Israel is a true fighter who can be a worthy ally. Before Epic Fury, these were the kind of allies the United States needed. The Americans recognized the Israelis as worthy allies. Israel and the United States waged all subsequent military operations, including Epic Fury, together. As befits true allies. The political union of the two states was sealed with their own blood and the blood of their enemies. And this has always been considered the highest degree of political trust in human history.
Israel has achieved the closest possible rapprochement with the United States at a time when American politicians are placing new, more stringent demands on their allies. Few countries are able to comply with the White House’s new rules. For example, the EU has lost its status as a key U.S. ally.(7) In the current situation, its alliance with the United States has become Israel’s greatest victory. Israeli politicians have gained the favor of American politicians. This means Israel has the ability to influence policy decisions in the United States, the most powerful country in the world. This is a jackpot for any politician in the world. No matter how Epic Fury ends, Israel has already won!
So, what’s the bottom line? The Americans’ ability to strike first, the Iranians’ courage to respond, and the ability to wage a protracted war, along with the Israelis’ strong fighting qualities, created the necessary conditions for the successful execution of Epic Fury. As previously noted in my article “Epic Fury Is Dedicated to Oil Pricing,” (8) the true goal of the operation was to take control of the oil business of the Persian Gulf countries. Not to crush Iran. Pursuing this goal, the U.S. government attacked Iran with the aim of provoking an Iranian retaliatory strike against the oil-producing monarchies of the Persian Gulf, where U.S. military bases are located. And this retaliatory strike occurred. But the main thing is that the war is becoming protracted. What next?
Epic Fury ending
Now the Americans need to destroy the remnants of neutrality in the Persian Gulf oil-producing states. These countries are already at war with Iran. However, this is not enough. The hostility between the Arab countries and Iran must become so intense that only one survives. Increasing the degree of confrontation is not difficult. To achieve this, Epic Fury must be extended long enough that a limited land invasion of Iran becomes the only possible solution for unblocking the Strait of Hormuz. Naturally, this invasion will require the participation of the armies of the Persian Gulf oil-producing states. A land invasion will make the Arab countries mortal enemies of Iran. After this, the existence of the Persian Gulf oil-producing monarchies will only be possible with U.S. protection! And this will create the preconditions for achieving Epic Fury’s true goals: control over the Arab monarchies’ oil businesses. Life in exchange for oil! This is the hidden meaning of Epic Fury. Of course, Iran will continue to exist to constantly threaten the oil monarchies. Otherwise, the announced motto will lose its relevance.
P.S.
You’ll agree that the title “Epic Fury” is deeply politically sarcastic. Iran, with its “Epic Fury,” has brought the United States its greatest geopolitical victory. Iran has given the United States control over global oil prices! American politicians are the most professional politicians in the world. Bravo, White House!
Pavel Valerievich Kuliuk. Born in 1977 in Russia. Lived in Ukraine since 1978. Journalist since 2007. All this time, exclusively remote.
Notes:
1.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_military_buildup_in_the_Middle_East
2.https://www.centcom.mil/OPERATIONS-AND-EXERCISES/EPIC-FURY/
3.https://www.britannica.com/event/withdrawal-of-United-States-troops-from-Afghanistan
4.https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/us-israel
5.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_war
6.https://www.un.org/unispal/document/special-rapporteur-report-gaza-genocide-a-collective-crime-20oct25/
7.https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2025/03/14/why_the_us_and_europe_are_no_longer_friends_1097556.html
8.https://www.opednews.com/populum/page.php?f=Epic-Fury-is-dedicated-to-Oil_Oil-And-Resource-Wars_Oil-Bourse_Oil-Cost-Of—260319-839.html
This article was originally published by RealClearDefense and made available via RealClearWire.
