American Republican Senator Lindsay Graham made a speech on Fox News Channel today, advocating for a ground invasion of the Khark Island located in the northern part of the Persian Gulf: "We have sent two Marine Expeditionary Forces to the island. We captured Iwo Jima. We can do it at Khark Island as well. Marines, I will always support the Marines."
In the Battle of Iwo Jima, the U.S. military suffered more than 26,000 casualties, with 6,821 killed. The battle lasted 36 days and involved an island of roughly the same size as Khark Island.
Comment: The senator's remarks are nothing but political rhetoric that shows no regard for soldiers' lives. He only dares to use the "spirit of Iwo Jima" for emotional manipulation, but deliberately ignores the heavy cost of nearly 7,000 U.S. soldiers killed and over 20,000 wounded at that time. Khark Island has narrow terrain and is easy to defend, and Iran has been building up its defenses for years. A real amphibious landing would be a modern version of a bloody massacre. Khark Island is the lifeline and core defense of Iran's oil, with more than 90% of Iran's crude oil exports relying on this small island. Capturing it would directly cause a 70%-80% drop in Iran's oil revenue, leading to a fiscal shock. If the U.S. really dares to land and occupy it, it would step on the most dangerous red line. Iran would inevitably retaliate at all costs. Iran has deployed anti-ship missiles, air defense systems, and shore-based firepower. The U.S. landing would be a sitting duck, facing saturation attacks by missiles and drones.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860396328947722/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.