Posted on 03/17/2026 7:29:02 AM PDT by RandFan
Trump supporters who backed his promise to avoid new Middle East wars worry Iran’s attacks on shipping are pushing the U.S. toward escalation — and maybe even boots on the ground.
When the U.S. started firing Tomahawk missiles at Iran late last month, many of President Donald Trump’s allies hoped it would be a quick, surgical operation, similar to last year’s strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities or the ouster of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro in January.
Though uneasy, they were reassured by the belief that Trump’s open-ended objectives gave him the flexibility to declare victory whenever he saw fit.
Now, more than two weeks into the campaign, some of those allies believe the president no longer controls how, or when, the war ends. They fear Iran’s attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, which have rattled global crude markets and threaten broader economic distress, are boxing Trump into a situation where escalating the conflict — potentially even putting American boots on the ground — becomes the only way to credibly claim victory.
“We clearly just kicked [Iran’s] ass in the field, but, to a large extent, they hold the cards now,” said one person close to the White House, who like others in this story was granted anonymity to speak candidly about the war. “They decide how long we’re involved — and they decide if we put boots on the ground. And it doesn’t seem to me that there’s a way around that, if we want to save face.”
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
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If it comes to that then Obama was right not supporting the 2009 protests and we were wrong.
What a load of BS.
It's media hype...ya can't swallow that stuff whole and still keep the proper perspective on what's really happening
Israel and independent contractors should take Kharg Island for starters. We then need eyes on the shoreline so that they cannot target ships in the straits.
If that Strait isn’t secured - some how - it causes problems doesn’t it?
I don’t see an air campaign being sufficient
So what happens next?
Dump the problem on Europe as the rag heads will let the Chicoms sail through but not the others. Let the other rag heads deal with their inability to sail.
It’s going to take an occupation of the straight on the Persian side. Think Gibraltar.
You will see.
>>Israel and independent contractors should take Kharg Island for starters<<
Oh really? I feel Israel would likely disagree. Who would control the mercenaries and where would they come from? Perhaps the Wagner group could be reconstituted?
“who like others in this story was granted anonymity to speak candidly about the war”
Fake news. Unreliable sources.
Air dominance doesn’t solve this problem. That is all I’m saying...
Geez guys, it’s been 2 weeks. He’s got 3 months to finish the job before having to go to Congress. I’m happy to at least give him another 2 weeks.
<< maybe even boots on the ground. >>
Boots on the ground performing commando ops if necessary is one thing.
Boots on the ground in large numbers in an occupation role fighting house to house like we did in Iraq is quite another.
The latter will never happen. Trump said no forever wars, and he meant it. Some of you will never get it.
I don’t know troll, what US hurting outcome are you rooting for?
oops-and now Larajani and 300 senior leaders/IRGC and Basij eliminated. poof! that didn’t age well, Politico. rubbish usually carries a stink but they keep putting it out.
Iran is being decimated. They hold no cards. There will be no large scale deployment of ground troops imho.
If these people had been around in 1939, we’d all be speaking German.
>> said one person close to the White House, who like others in this story was granted anonymity to speak candidly about the war.
In other words, made-up Politico bullsh!t unworthy of space here; the only purpose is for RandFan to stick his finger in Trump’s eye and encourage other America hating groypers to do the same.
Politico?
Not worth my bother to read anything from those yellow journalism communists.
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