The Pentagon is sending three warships and another 2,500 Marines to the Middle East — the second such deployment in just a week — in what looks less like a winding down of conflict and more like a steady escalation.That’s a striking turn for a war President Trump claimed he “won” the war within the first hour. .memberful-global-teaser-content p:last-child{ -webkit-mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 0%, transparent); mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 0%, transparent); } Join now to continue reading.Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising. Learn more.If you’re already a member, sign in to your account.