In Trump’s case, ego is also a factor. It seems he would rather kill thousands more civilians, risk committing war crimes, set the Middle East ablaze and destroy Republicans’ electoral chances than admit he was wrong over Iran.

Decades on from the US’s disastrous campaign in Afghanistan, Trump is making all the same mistakes | Simon TisdallThe president has blundered into a ‘forever war’ with Iran he can’t win, but refuses to end. Such hubris has a long history, says Guardian foreign affairs commentator Simon Tisdallwww.theguardian.com