LOS ANGELES (OC).–President Donald Trump finds himself in a quagmire in Iran, not because he lacksj the firepower to turn the war to his favor. Iran showed that it the new terrorist age of drones and ballistic missiles, a terror group or conventional army doesn’tj need much to keep a war goging, with Iran firning drones and ballistic missiles at will. Trump finds himself unable etop Iran drones, missiles and mobile rocket lauchers, something he thought could be done at at the Feb. 28 start of the war. Seven weeks into the war, Trump can’t destroy enough drones, ballistic missiles and rocket launchers to stop Iran from onctinuing keep firing at U.S. assets around the Persian Gulf. Iran’s drone and missile strikes killed at leat two U.S. soldiers in Jorda, with possibly more to announce in Iraq and Jordan. Trump can’t stop yet Irian’s drone and missile attacks on U.S. assets.
Mediators in Pakistan and Qatar feared that the war could deteriorate into a kind of slubfest with Trump unable to stop Iran’s drone and ballistic missile attacks. Like most terrorist attacks, it’s difficult for a conventional army like the U.S. to stop asymmetrical warfare, where on party restors to terrorist tactics to keep the war going. Unless Trump is willing to ramp up attacks on Iran vital infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, bridges and desalination plans, the current war could drag on indefinitely. Trump has receive not support from the EU and NATO, staying clear of the current war, believing that Trump started the war on his own and must finish it on his own. EU officials know that the U.S. gets no oil or natural gas from the Persian Gulf, while the EU gets roughly 20% of his products through the Strait of Hormus. Why the EU or NATO has turned its back on Trump is anyone’s guess.
Domestic and foreign news outlets blame Trump for the war, claiming that things are much worse for world energy prices since Trump started the war Feb. 28. But Trump has done much more to Iran than disabled its nuke program, disabling Iran’s conventional military, hitting radar and missile defense operations. Iran is a shell of its former military though still capable with drones and ballistic missiles fighting a defensive war. Most media outlets see Iran holding its own against the U.S. military, even though the strikes have more nuisance value. If Trump wanted to go after population centers in Tehran and other big cities, he would inflict a lot more casualities on Iran. Iran can resond with drone and missle attacks but it can’t stop the U.S. from conducting military operations. Pentagon planners must pivot from tit-fopr-tate military attacks to going on the offensive.
Israel expressed concerns about Iranian attacks on U.S. assets getting dangerously close to Israeli cities, targeting Aqaba. If Iran starts firing missiles at Israel, they know it would open up another front, so far avoiding Israeli targets. Trump must figure out how to slow down Iranian drone and missile attacks on U.S. assets across the Mideast. Finding and destroying Iranian drones, missiles and rocket lauchers hasn’t yet mae any difference with Iran still disrupting U.S. assets in military bases around the Persian Gulf. Trump has warned Iran about taking out civilian infrastructure hasn’t yet panned out, with U.S. strikes so far playing only a minor deterrent role. Iran has the upper hand it dialing up GPS coordinates to hit U.S. bases, already causing U.S. military deaths. Trump needs to find more potent attacks on Iran’s command and control centers.
Trump’s current military strategy has been one of ambiguity, giving Iran the impression\he wants diplomacy over more military combat. So, Iran took advantage of Trump’s approach to the conflict, going in and out of diplomacy, while making what Iran thinks are idle treats. To make any progress with the current war effort, Trump must step up military operations so Iran gets the message that there will be nothing left of its infrastructure if they continue firing drones and ballistic missiles at U.S. assets. Iran has proved so war that a good terrorist strategy presents problems for a conventional U.S. military. It takes far more military planning to fly fighter jets off aircraft carriers that dialing up GPS coordinates for drone and ballistc missiles. If Trump doesn’t hit Iranian energy infrastructure, bridges and desalination plans soon, the war won’t end anytime soon.
U.S. goals in Iran have morphed over the last seven weeks. While Trump would like to finish off Iran’s nuke program, the real battle has centered on control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s IRGC continues to control the Strait even though the U.S. has more assets in place. Trump realized that that diplomacy can’t end the war if the IRGC continues to control the Hormuz Strait, because Trump would surrender control of oil and natural gas coming through the Strait. Trump can’t end the war until he has control over the Hormuz Strait, requiring the Pentagon to neutralize the IRGC, seizing control of the Hormujz Strait. So far, Iran feels content to continue striking U.S. assets with drones and ballistic missile, a far more efficient strategy than flying soties over Iranian assets. If Trump wants the war to end, he’s going to have to step up the war effort in a big way.
About the Autho
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of Onlineolumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma..
