All articles tagged with #ground troops
At CPAC, Republicans largely back Trump's Iran policy but differ on its endgame, with polls showing broad GOP support for action yet concerns about scope, potential ground invasion, and a long, costly war; some attendees favor diplomacy or warn against escalation, while Iranian-Americans at the conference push for regime change, highlighting a fracture that could influence midterm politics.
Jonathan V. Last argues that U.S. signals on Iran are contradictory—talk of negotiations sits beside orders for ground troops and leaks about a rapid, decisive strike—implying there’s no coherent strategic objective and that the push toward war may be improvised rather than planned.
Republican lawmakers warned against deploying ground troops in Iran as polls show mixed public support for escalation: many fear a large operation, few favor it; the White House says there are no current plans for boots on the ground, though Trump has not ruled it out, and opinions split along partisan lines as negotiations with Iran continue.
President Trump says he has no plans to deploy ground troops to Iran, but leaves room to reverse course as U.S.-Israel strikes escalate; Washington is weighing major ground actions such as seizing Kharg Island or the Isfahan underground nuclear site, moves likely to require troops. The Pentagon has asked for about $200 billion to fund war operations, with early-week costs already in the tens of billions, while roughly 50,000 U.S. troops are in the region and 2,500 Marines were redeployed from the Indo-Pacific, signaling a potentially longer, higher-stakes conflict.
A Quinnipiac national poll finds a majority of registered voters oppose the U.S. military action against Iran (53% oppose, 40% support) and 74% oppose sending U.S. ground troops. Voters expect the conflict to last months or longer and fear potential terrorist attacks on U.S. soil along with rising oil prices, with views on justification for the strikes divided and opposition to a ground war broad across Democrats, independents, and Republicans.
Trump privately expressed serious interest in deploying a small number of U.S. troops on the ground inside Iran for targeted aims, discussing the idea with aides and Republican officials outside the White House; no orders have been given and publicly he has not ruled out boots on the ground, though officials say this would be a narrow operation rather than a full invasion. The talks come as the conflict has produced casualties, and experts warn such a deployment could escalate the war; Trump has publicly signaled openness to various options while outlining a vision for post-war Iran, including oil cooperation, but no decision has been made.
The Israeli military has reduced its ground troops in the southern Gaza Strip following the conclusion of its operation in Khan Younis, with the 98th commando division being pulled out to prepare for future operations. The Nahal brigade and the 162nd division remain in Gaza, and the move comes amid mounting international pressure for a ceasefire, ongoing negotiations for a hostage deal, and uncertainty about Israel's plans for a ground offensive in Rafah.
Russian officials are relishing the division in NATO after French President Macron's suggestion of deploying Western ground troops in Ukraine was widely rejected by NATO member countries. The Kremlin warned that such a move would lead to conflict between NATO and Russia, while Russian state-run media has been dominated by officials relishing the obvious division in NATO. Macron's comments have been criticized by Russian officials, and analysts have described them as a gift to the Kremlin, with concerns that they could be exploited by Russia's propaganda machine. France has sought to clarify its position, emphasizing the need to avoid escalation and stating that it is not at war with the Russian people.
French President Macron's suggestion of potentially sending ground troops into Ukraine has sparked outrage in Russia, with officials warning of a possible conflict between Russia and NATO. However, European allies, including Germany, the U.K., and Spain, have quickly denied any plans to deploy troops to Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also stated that there are no plans for NATO combat troops on the ground in Ukraine, emphasizing the alliance's support for Ukraine without committing to sending ground troops.