Former Trump Iran adviser says war is headed for escalation

The war in Iran is going so badly for Trump he may have to release the Epstein files as a distraction.

This is the strategic equivalent of suggesting that rain in likely to get things wet...

Donald Trump never had a plan for a drawn out conflict. This is the result of poor planning, arrogance and incompetence. It's also about Netanyahu's enthusiasm for war with his middle east neighbors and Trump being the perfect useful idiot to help him achieve his decades long dream of destroying Iran. I mean, we literally have Bibi on video admitting this... That he's been waiting for this moment for FORTY years, and that Trump was the only chump who could help him realize his military ambitions in the middle east. And yeah, this war is also about Trump's ego, or his desire to project his own strength through the unbridled use of the military. You know, imperialistic dictator kind of behavior. After Venezuela, Trump got it in his head that he could decapitate any government that opposes him. But it's not really going as planned—because there is no plan. And besides, in Venezuela, Trump removed Maduro from power but kept the oppressive government intact in return for their cooperation. So much for liberating the people... That said, other than wholesale destruction, what the f*** have we actually accomplished in Iran? The regime hasn't "changed," the Iranian people have not been "liberated," Iran was never building a nuclear weapon, nor did they pose an "imminent threat" to the United States. Meaning of course that this war was conducted under false pretenses and Trump's cabinet has been trying desperately (and failing) to cover up that fact, which is why their messaging has been so erratic and inconsistent. And now Trump is desperately searching for an offramp, telling the Iranian people to "rise up" and "overtake" their government because he wants to wipe his hands clean of the bloody aftermath of a war he helped start with no long-term, coherent strategy. However, Trump can't just up and leave because, for one, it would signal defeat and/or reflect very poorly on him, but more important than that, because he helped trigger a global energy crisis after dismissing warnings about very obvious Iranian countermeasures in the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf. And while Trump is pushing back deadlines and claiming that the war is "winding down," or that "productive conversations" are happening, he is simultaneously sending thousands of *more* troops to the region and demanding *more* money from the government to fuel operation "epic failure." At the same time, Israel is bombing Iran's Capital and Iran is firing back at neighboring countries. Worse yet, American troops are dead and dying and we're continuing to bomb Iran without any regard for the civilians we're supposed to be "liberating." MILLIONS of people have been displaced across the Middle East. Thousands of innocent noncombatants have been killed in this war so far—some of them CHILDREN at the hands of our own military and its commander in chief. Together, the US and Israel are shelling schools, hospitals, heritage sites, non-military and civilian infrastructure, and even residential areas. Some Iranians doubt whether regime change is realistic and whether this war is even worth it... As far as "regime change" goes, the already dying Ayatollah was replaced by his more hardline son who we've managed to radicalize all the same after killing his entire family, and who has deep connections and sway with the IRGC. Additionally, one fifth of the population still supports the Islamic Republic and grieves the deaths of Iranian leaders. When it comes to the economic side of things, this war has caused a worldwide oil crisis, which has both short and long term repercussions for the American economy, and an economy that was already sliding before the war even began. A ground invasion is all but inevitable at this point because we presently have nothing to really show for our efforts. Without "boots on the ground" there's no way to facilitate structural change in Iran, no other way to seize control of the Strait of Hormuz, no chance of poaching whatever uranium Iran has left lying around, and no possibility at all of taking Kharg Island and thus crippling Iran's oil production indefinitely. For that matter, if the US doesn't launch a ground invasion, it can't make up for its incompetence and lack of any meaningful results. At this point, ordering troops to invade Iran is the only way for the US to at least appear like it's committing to "objectives" that don't just involve bombing the f*** out of the country.

[What an Influx of 17,000 U.S. Troops Could Mean for the Iran War](https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/what-an-influx-of-17-000-u-s-troops-could-mean-for-the-iran-war-7569afea?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqcutdYa3x-mxALDm26YpEOgX3rO5JwiYJD3t6CwKJb1uomf6CCOZlq0&gaa_ts=69c77715&gaa_sig=cO2DTWE92ECDI2ipMc4FqRhJ9nlqRPgVrO7VhwWK7oYuyi2708nLnmc0hAyX-s4mBvn5mnKtDnakof2wBI6QQA%3D%3D) >If President Trump gives the go-ahead, the U.S. could soon have more than 17,000 ground troops on Iran’s doorstep. That is far short of what would be needed for a full-scale invasion, but they could seize strategic territory on the mainland, secure Tehran’s uranium stockpiles or take an island. >The Pentagon is considering sending another 10,000 ground troops to the Middle East, even as Trump weighs peace talks with Tehran, The Wall Street Journal has reported. That would add to roughly 5,000 Marines and 2,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division already ordered to the region. The additional troops would likely include infantry, armored vehicles and logistics support.

What a clusterfuck.

Trump is 100% going to end up dropping a nuke on Iran watch

1 milion military personal waiting for the 10.000 paratroopers… thats gonna be fun

VietNam 2.0!

If there are boots on the ground it'll only take a couple days for Republicans to be programmed to support it.