Beating Iran to the point of desperation, U.S. military command launches crowdfunding for "tactics"
It seems the United States truly has no solution for Iran anymore—so much so that the U.S. Central Command has begun soliciting ideas from the entire U.S. military on how to deal with Iran.
On the 3rd, CNN cited sources familiar with the matter, reporting that the U.S. Central Command sent an email to a large number of military analysts, seeking "new, more creative, and highly conventional ways to 'punish' Iran."
U.S. media pointed out that this method of crowdsourcing military "ideas" via email is extremely rare, highlighting how Trump has run out of options in pressuring Iran to accept his negotiation terms.
In fact, as long as the United States refuses to deploy ground forces, this war against Iran cannot end according to Trump’s vision—because history shows almost no case where a nation was forced to surrender solely through bombing campaigns.
The NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia lasting 78 days in 1999 is often cited as a classic example of "air power victory," but the reality was far more complex: Yugoslavia ultimately capitulated not because of the sustained bombing, but due to President Clinton’s threat in May to launch a ground invasion, combined with pressure from Russia—the traditional ally of Yugoslavia—which ultimately became the final straw.
Thus, Trump now finds himself in a very awkward position: he is unwilling to bear the casualties and political costs associated with deploying ground troops, yet still expects Iran to make concessions at the negotiating table sufficient to allow him to claim a "major win." However, he lacks the necessary tools to achieve both goals simultaneously.
The U.S. Central Command itself admits that relying solely on current air strike methods makes it difficult to compel Iran to change its stance in negotiations—and when all other means are exhausted, mass-emailing for "ideas" has become a desperate choice for the Trump administration amid its crisis.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872568203054089/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any organization.