> Why do we have an “outpost in Jordan?” <
It’s for the same reason why the Roman and the British Empires had to have outposts everywhere. It’s just what empires do. It’s a hardware issue, so to speak.
It’s also a major reason why empires collapse.
Oh, and don’t dare complain about it. You don’t want to be called an isolationist.
One doesn't even have to "complain" about it. Nowadays, merely pointing out the facts of the matter is sufficient to evoke denunciation from the GAE supporters, the "endless war" enthusiasts, and the numb-nut "American patriot" cohort.
1) American weapons cost a great deal more than weapons made by anyone else, and quality or capability of the weapons is not involved in this. Salary levels are.
2) The Houthis do not need a huge amount of Iranian funding to build these weapons themselves. The weapons need not have come from Iran or Russia or anywhere. They are cheap. They are effective. They can be built locally.
3) Why is Europe not providing all, repeat, all the forces for the Red Sea and Suez Canal? Not just token forces. All of them. The US has no reason to be there to be a target and create some sort of Gulf of Tonkin excuse to be involved.
4) Iran has the #2 natural gas reserves in the world. Almost 3X the US reserves, and at current production the US will go through its total in about 12 years. Yes, more will be found, but the VAST majority of what can be found has already been found. If the intention is to attack and conquer Iran in order to steal their nat gas, say so. Walk in front of a microphone and announce the situation and what is to be done.
5) If you can’t get the votes to support stealing their nat gas, then why in hell are you making an enemy of them, when you will need their nat gas that soon?