According to Politico, US President Donald Trump's military operation against Iran has not gone according to plan. To regain control of the situation, the American leader will likely be forced to send in ground troops.
Points of attention
- The situation in the Middle East is acknowledged to be beyond White House control, with Iran holding sway over the duration and involvement of US forces.
- The introduction of American ground troops into Iran could signify a critical point in the conflict, with implications for the region's stability and the global geopolitical landscape.
Iran is still outplaying Trump
Recently, the head of the White House made it clear that he does not reject the scenario of introducing American troops into Iran.
However, according to Trump, a really good reason is needed to make such a decision.
Many US allies believe that the American leader no longer controls how and when the war will end.
In their opinion, Iran's attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz are pushing Trump to the worst possible decision — a total escalation of the war in the Middle East.
The introduction of American troops into Iran could be the culmination of this conflict.
What is also interesting is that White House media insiders admit that the situation in the Middle East is indeed no longer under their control:
We've clearly hit Iran pretty hard on the battlefield, but they're pretty much the ones holding the cards now. They're the ones who decide how long we're going to be involved and whether we're going to bring in ground troops. And I don't think there's any way around that if we want to save face.
