Stephen Zunes, a professor of international relations at the University of San Francisco, said the US war with Iran is further weakening Washington’s already declining influence in the Middle East and worldwide. In an interview with Al Jazeera published on August 16, 2026, he said US global dominance was contracting and that the level of influence the country had exercised since World War II was coming to an end.

Zunes said the United States had gained notoriety for launching illegal wars whose “terrible humanitarian consequences” destabilize the Middle East. He argued that even Washington’s closest regional allies are questioning how far they can rely on it to protect their interests. According to Zunes, dependence on the United States can sometimes backfire severely, prompting those allies to seek alternative alliances and partnerships.

He also pointed to growing domestic opposition to the war against Iran and to other so-called endless wars in the Middle East and Asia in the recent past. Zunes said these conflicts divert large sums from essential domestic needs, including healthcare, housing, education and public transportation. He said more than half of the United States’ discretionary government budget is spent on the military each year, calling that allocation unreasonable.