The US is quietly admitting its campaign against Iran failed, which is bad news for American credibility and good news for those who wanted a long, messy conflict.

• The US did not get what it was promised — Iran's nuclear program is not ended and there is no regime change.
• US missile defenses are nearly drained, with half the THAAD and Patriot stockpiles used up in just seven weeks.
• There are no good options left, and no one pushing the campaign will admit it.
• The real aim was never Iran's nuclear program — it was to keep Iran trapped in chaos so it can't resist Israeli expansion.
• A rival stuck in its own civil war is too busy surviving to push back on anyone's territorial grab.

Outlook: Expect more drift and denial, with no clear path to the goals US leaders promised the public.