When I commanded the surge in Iraq in 2007-08, I described our strategic challenge using two clocks: the Baghdad clock measuring ground progress and the Washington clock measuring political will. The Washington clock raced forward while Baghdad moved slowly. However, clocks can gain time.

As security improved in Iraq, battlefield progress reset the Washington clock. A similar dynamic may now apply to the Iran confrontation. The critical factor is oil flow from the Gulf.

More oil flowing and less world demand benefits the U.S. effort against Iran. The strategic calculus requires balancing military pressure with economic leverage through energy markets. Regional stability depends on managing these competing temporal pressures effectively.