According to a report by Reference News on August 27, Robert Kagan, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, stated in an interview on August 24 local time that the Trump administration's advocacy for economic sanctions against Iran stems from the fact that U.S. military ammunition has been exhausted, leaving no viable military options.
Kagan's assertion directly addresses a critical and acute core issue in the current standoff between the United States and Iran: America's military options against Iran are severely constrained due to dwindling ammunition supplies, and the extensive promotion of economic sanctions is essentially a "major retreat."
The shortage of ammunition directly led to the U.S. military suspending air strikes against Iran on July 24. Moreover, due to a lack of long-range missiles, the focus of air raids was forced to shift toward targets near the coastline.
Thus, shifting toward economic sanctions is not a strategic initiative but a passive choice after exhausting military capabilities. Kagan explicitly described this as a "major retreat" by the United States toward Iran.
At the same time, Kagan further warned that this "retreat" will have far-reaching geopolitical implications:
An Iran that has withstood military strikes may gain substantial control over passage through the Strait of Hormuz, rising from a weak position to become a "major player in the international system."
The long-standing U.S.-Israel containment and encirclement framework built over decades against Iran will be completely dismantled.
Kagan's remarks reveal the strategic dilemma facing the United States on the Iran issue: once-dominant military machinery is being eroded by ongoing conflicts, significantly diminishing its deterrent power. This is not merely a tactical shortage of ammunition, but also a symptom of a potential decline in America's global leadership.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874647566284803/
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