Iran and the failure of the FAFO doctrine
US President Donald Trump’s flawed decision-making is finally catching up with him.
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Even if the Trump administration were to follow through on the President’s threats, it might have difficulty sustaining high-intensity military operations against Iran.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Gideon Rachman
Donald Trump likes a four-letter acronym. The most famous is MAGA (Make America Great Again). He and his team are also fond of FAFO. Shortly after the US capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, the White House posted an image of a stern-looking Trump – with the FAFO acronym emblazoned beneath it.
When Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth assembled senior American military commanders in September 2025, he told them: “Should our enemies choose foolishly to challenge us, they will be crushed by the violence, precision and ferocity of the War Department. In other words, to our enemies, FAFO. If necessary, our troops can translate that for you.”
