American forces stationed across the Middle East believe they are being left in harm's way for political reasons, and morale inside those units has collapsed.

• Troops deployed at regional bases describe themselves as human tripwires, sitting and waiting to be hit in back-and-forth attacks.
• Unlike past wars, soldiers now have phones and encrypted messaging, so they see in real time how far official statements are from what is happening around them.
• One father in contact with his deployed son says the unit has lost all respect for senior leaders and feels powerless to do anything about it.
• Trump's claim that the fighting will wrap up after the midterm elections is being read as a campaign line, not a real plan.

Outlook: Expect the tit-for-tat strikes on US bases to continue, with no sign the timeline is tied to anything but politics.