Why does the U.S. military seem stymied in the war with Iran?

NPR | By Dave Davies

Published August 19, 2026 at 12:18 PM EDT

Defense analyst Stacie Pettyjohn says while the U.S. military is facing long-range missile shortages, prolonged deployments and vacated regional bases, Iran is building cheaper weapons quickly.

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Why does the U.S. military seem stymied in the war with Iran?

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