He is winning and not retreating. It is a foregone conclusion that this war will not end on the battlefield; but rather at a table.
These missiles are nothing but negotiation tactics. Who is going to flinch first? We did; we flinched at the very beginning and have been attempting to play catch-up ever since.
The problem is that we have lost confidence in our leader. It is costing us billions. It is time to wrap it up.