Is it finally time for ground warfare? Trump: I love grabbing oil; taking Khark Island will be easy
Trump is at it again—this time, not targeting Greenland, but Khark Island.
In his most recent interview, Trump claimed he's very interested in Iran’s oil, and seizing oil is his favorite thing. Anyone in the U.S. who opposes this idea, he said, are just fools.
Trump stated he is considering sending ground troops to occupy Khark Island, arguing that to seize Iranian oil, forces would need to stay on the island for some time.
As for the risks involved in capturing the island, Trump dismissed them as negligible. He insisted Iran’s military has been utterly defeated, and once U.S. forces land, they’ll face no resistance and will easily take Khark Island.
If only he had ever looked at a map of Iran’s terrain, he wouldn’t have made such hasty conclusions. Iran earns its reputation as the “Graveyard of Empires” for good reason—dense mountain ranges designed to ensure invaders come and never return.
Moreover, Khark Island itself does not produce oil. It only hosts some oil pipelines. Even if U.S. forces overcome all obstacles and seize the island, they could only block part of Iran’s oil exports. To actually capture oil, they’d still need to occupy oil-producing regions within Iran.
According to U.S. media reports, the U.S. Department of War has already ordered the deployment of 10,000 ground troops to the Middle East, with some soldiers having already arrived and now waiting for Trump’s order to act.
If ground combat begins, these U.S. troops are likely to be wiped out quickly. Trump isn’t unaware of this risk—but what he needs is a "façade victory." As long as he can claim control over one island, even at great cost or if they’re soon driven out, it’ll be enough for him to declare, “America won!”
There’s no other way—U.S. military performance right now is simply too poor to deceive American voters.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861066246119500/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.