The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, has stated that a ceasefire with Iran is not peace but a pause. This comes after President Donald Trump announced a cease-fire with Iran. The situation has significantly changed since this announcement, with over 40,000 Iranians killed and over 50,000 others killed due to violence. Iran has been weakened by combined U.S.-Israeli operations and its defense-industrial and economic-industrial base severely damaged. Despite this, Iran's leadership has learned that the United States and Israel are ready to go on combat operations. Negotiating with Iran from a position of maximum leverage, not compromise, should be the priority, writes Mark Dubowitz of the Foundation for Democracies for Defense.