Why Invading Iran Could Become America's Biggest Military Mistake
The ghosts of Baghdad and Kabul should be enough to silence any talk of sending American troops into Iran. Yet here we are, more than seven months into a war that began on 28 February with U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and voices in Washington and Tel Aviv are again whispering that only boots on the ground can finish the job. Plans to seize Kharg Island, Iran’s…
The invasion of Iran would be a catastrophic mistake for the United States. Iran is far larger than Iraq, with a population of 90 million, a well-trained military, and terrain that makes conventional warfare difficult. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is prepared for an invasion, with capabilities such as mines, drone swarms, and missile barrages.
Even the U.S. military's wargames have shown that an invasion would require hundreds of thousands of troops, years of occupation, and far more casualties than seen in the post-9/11 wars. Despite 11,000 strikes in just five weeks, Iran still holds roughly 70 percent of its missiles and launchers. Iran has also closed the Strait of Hormuz and claimed sovereignty over it.
Diplomatic efforts have proven futile, and the Houthis have continued their attacks on Saudi targets. The U.S. now has about 50,000 troops deployed to the region through 2027, and the war has already resulted in the deaths of 21 American service members and the wounding of over 800. The cost is astronomical, with the Iraq war costing nearly $3 trillion and over 4,400 American lives. Invading Iran would not only be a strategic failure but also a moral and financial disaster.
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