Iran-US war: Why Trump’s top general is ‘looking for an off-ramp’ — ‘airpower has its limits’
US President Donald Trump’s most senior general reportedly raised concerns that military options on the table to escalate the conflict in Iran could backfire, and airpower alone is unlikely to achieve the president’s stated objectives.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine reportedly told other Trump advisers that the US must find an off-ramp from the war with Iran, as military options to escalate the conflict could backfire, and airpower alone is unlikely to achieve President Trump's objectives. Caine has been privately expressing concerns about the limitations of available military options, including concerns about depleted US munitions stockpiles.
The war has reached a crossroads, with many top national security officials believing Caine's assessment that "airpower has its limits." Caine and other top officials were wary of aggressive strikes due to concerns about potential fallout from escalating the conflict. The US war in Iran has depleted key air defense weapons, with Patriot stockpiles reduced by two-thirds and THAAD missile inventory cut in half.
This has raised concerns about the US's ability to defend against potential Iranian retaliation if the conflict escalates.
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