Iran War: Insubordination Stands To Snatch Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory
The U.S. media has tabled a question that warrants examining two 20th-century historical events.
James Zumwalt | May 9, 2026
The U.S. media has tabled a question that warrants examining two 20th-century historical events.
The question asked is whether U.S. credibility in deterring Iran’s mullahs and getting them to toe the line has been weakened by critics such as comedian Jimmy Kimmel and politicians who mock or otherwise criticize President Donald Trump’s actions against Tehran.
The first historical event involves a battle of the Cold War, fought against the Soviet Union on February 22, 1980.
While this battle resulted in American blood being shed, it was not due to a military conflict but to an athletic one. It was fought on the ice as the U.S. and Soviet Union competed for the gold medal in hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics game in Lake Placid, New York. The Soviets fielded a four-time gold medal winning team against a U.S. team composed of a mix of college players.
During the 20-year period of 1960–1980, the Soviets had not only run up a 12-0 record playing against U.S. hockey teams, but outscored them by a whopping 117-26 points. And, just three days prior to the beginning of the 1980 Winter Olympics, the Soviets badly defeated the U.S. in an exhibition hockey game by a score of 10-3.
It was clearly a contest in which David faced Goliath. Yet the U.S. would win 4-3 in what became known as the “Miracle on Ice” and what Sports Illustrated ranked in 1999 as the top sports moment of the 20th century.
Post-game analysis shared a factor that empowered a U.S. win against all odds. It noted the contest was fueled by intense national pride and support as fans created an electrifying atmosphere, boosting player morale. Fans effectively were “one” with the players, fostering a sense of belief that victory was indeed attainable.
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