Washington Post Opinions

Opinion | Who’s winning the U.S.-Iran war? Russia and China. Oil disruption benefits Russia, as does less U.S. aid for Ukraine. And Iran distracts from China.

Zelensky said more Patriots were used in 3 days fighting Iran than used by Ukraine since 2022. Imagine how much Ukrainian energy infrastructure—and how many Ukrainian civilians—might have survived the winter if Trump had sent more Patriots to Ukraine rather than to a “war of whim.” wapo.st/4ui9QzJ

Opinion | Israeli officials are growing concerned A bombing campaign nearing its military goals in Iran leaves the hardest questions unanswered.

"A few senior officials in Israel are starting to voice concern about the escalating, open-ended attack on Iran — and suggesting possible exit ramps that might halt the war before it further damages the region and the global economy."

The latest from David Ignatius:

Opinion | Scammers are getting smarter. We must, too. AI scams, data center NIMBYsim, SNAP and access, in readers’ eyes.

"This issue will keep getting worse — and lost dollars will continue to grow — if our country’s leaders fail to implement smart policies to prevent scams," writes Kate Griffin, director of inclusive financial systems at the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program.

Rudy Gobert will never erase his status as a living symbol of covid’s arrival, however unfair that status might be, @williamfleitch.bsky.social writes.

"But he deserves better." https://wapo.st/3OSGIPd

Opinion | I was a Gen X ‘man cave’ dad. Then I learned better. Fathers know best when the door to the dad retreat is unlocked.

"Parenthood doesn’t come with a manual, but erring on the side of presence seemed like the best move," @drtedj.bsky.social writes. https://wapo.st/4r7rJ1d

Opinion | California’s false choice on autonomous trucks Gavin Newsom’s successor could put the state on autopilot to economic irrelevance.

"Unions have made autonomous trucks a litmus test for Democratic contenders in the wide-open California governor’s race," the Editorial Board writes. https://wapo.st/4daqKdl

Opinion | Legislators think they’re making trains safer. Evidence says otherwise. The Railway Safety Act would impose costly mandates with no proven links to safety.

"Just because a bill has 'safety' in the title doesn’t mean it will make Americans safer," the Editorial Board writes. https://wapo.st/4bvO2Jk

Opinion | These bike laws are tyranny on wheels Policymakers are making a basic form of transportation and a familiar element of childhood less accessible.

"By pursuing aggressive blanket regulation, policymakers are making a basic form of transportation and a familiar element of childhood less accessible," Kevin R. Parker writes. https://wapo.st/4aQPpCm

Opinion | Mississippi shouldn’t prefer student athletes over students There’s reason to treat NIL money unlike any other income.

"Complexifying the tax system with special loopholes that benefit politically connected interest groups is unfair to everyone else," the Editorial Board writes. https://wapo.st/4ct79Vr

Opinion | Why U.S. military officers need to go to Harvard. And Columbia. And … The civil-military-academic ecosystem is the foundation of American geopolitical power.

"This civil-military-academic ecosystem is the foundation of American geopolitical power," J.B. Branch and Allan E. Cameron write. https://wapo.st/40axMHq

Opinion | Cartoon by Joe Heller Joe Heller cartoon on daylight saving time.

An editorial guest cartoon by Joe Heller 🎨 https://wapo.st/4aQ3Er5

"It makes no sense for a state to issue mandates that the market cannot bear," the Editorial Board writes. https://wapo.st/3ML7RTH

Opinion | An economic transformation is coming to America’s heartland Cities like Columbus and Denver offer something uniquely American that the coasts do not.

"America’s wealth lies in granting people from anywhere the ability to make it everywhere," Ratmir Timashev writes. https://wapo.st/4blj9ar

Opinion | Congress is chasing the wrong villain in the ticket pricing wars Break the resellers’ business model and watch prices rise.

"Targeting the secondary market ignores the math of modern ticketing," Ben Kruger writes. https://wapo.st/4sm65ra

Opinion | The dumbest way to lower beef prices Breaking up meatpacking companies would make steak even more expensive.

"Importing more beef from other countries would help lower prices for consumers, but politically influential ranchers don’t want that," the Editorial Board writes. https://wapo.st/4rVDBEF

Opinion | The war that would make Iran look mild Delaying arms shipments to Taiwan undermines deterrence at a dangerous time.

"Some worrying signs are emerging in how Trump is managing America’s relationship with its most important rival," the Editorial Board writes. https://wapo.st/4b6tbMR

Opinion | How should we face the end of life? Readers on the medical aid in dying debate and end-of-life care.

"We should all be able to make our personal choice, not dictated by somebody else’s values," a reader writes in Post Letters. https://wapo.st/4uk9998

Opinion | The median age of home buyers is an affront to the American Dream The model pioneered by Health Savings Accounts can help families achieve home ownership.

The model pioneered by Health Savings Accounts can help families achieve home ownership, Terry Schilling and Jon Schweppe write.

Opinion | The U.S. mission-creep risk in Iran The temptation to dig in will grow. Trump can avoid it by declaring victory soon.

"Short of such regime change, the U.S. might soon need to decide whether it is willing to settle for a weakened tyranny in Tehran with a decimated military at its disposal," Jason Willick writes. https://wapo.st/4lfKhLv

Opinion | AI’s best use is enhancing human judgment. So study liberal arts. Career-focused programs falsely assume that what seems useful today will be useful tomorrow.

"Realizing the full value of the liberal arts requires taking education less literally and students more seriously," Greg Weiner writes.

Opinion | Who’s more embarrassing — the U.S. men’s hockey team or their critics? The state of the union and light pollution, in readers’ eyes.

"Thank God for the poise, perseverance and dignity of the 2026 U.S. women’s Olympic hockey championship team," a reader writes in Post Letters. https://wapo.st/4d7YfNj

Opinion | War-making is the president’s business, not Congress’s The executive branch is too powerful, yes, but Trump was free to act against Iran.

"Changes in modern circumstances, including technologies, often strengthen, if not the argument for, then the opportunity for, executive unilateralism," George F. Will writes. https://wapo.st/4ujPhTC

"China had bet on a confident, defiant and nuclear-ambitious Iran. Instead, it is left with a battered partner whose utility has sharply diminished," Miles Yu writes. https://wapo.st/40NR71c

Opinion | The government’s freeze on nuclear energy is thawing The NRC speedily approved a construction permit for TerraPower’s nuclear reactor.

"The government still holds back America’s nuclear industry too much, but it’s a victory worth celebrating," the Editorial Board writes. https://wapo.st/4suh2H4

"Khamenei did not rule through poetry. He ruled through executions, torture, censorship and fear."

From our readers in #PostLetters: https://wapo.st/40hgE2H

Opinion | An Iranian civil war is not in America’s interest Israel may welcome the chaos of regime collapse. The United States and its allies cannot.

"At some point, this war will reach a tipping point and no one will be able to control the spillover," Fareed Zakaria writes. https://wapo.st/4aWnYqN

YouTube video by Reasonably Optimistic Iran: Regime change or regional war?

On the latest episode of "Reasonably Optimistic," David Ignatius talks to @mcmegan.bsky.social about ideas that can guide the Trump administration to achieve better outcomes in Iran.

Opinion | America’s founding documents are going on tour Planes, trains and automobiles bring celebrations to cities across the country.

"They are among the documents that formed a nation," Michael Auslin writes.

"And for the first time, they’ll be traveling together outside of D.C. as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration this year."

The Europe Central Bank report is a refreshing reminder that there are life-changing opportunities, not just risks, from the AI revolution, the Editorial Board writes. https://wapo.st/3OS3jLR

Opinion | Trump’s mini-me ambassadors are insulting and alienating U.S. allies Save the undiplomatic diplomats. The president does enough damage to America’s reputation all by himself.

"Trump does enough damage to America’s reputation by himself," @maxboot.bsky.social writes.

"He doesn’t need help from his undiplomatic diplomats." https://wapo.st/4ufcMwK