Read the full article in Stars and Stripes.
Trump Wants To Seize Iran’s Key Oil Terminal. Doing So Would Come With Risk, Experts Say.
President Donald Trump is considering seizing Kharg Island, a major source of Iran’s revenue that could give the U.S. more leverage in opening the Strait of Hormuz.
Doing so would require a large-scale operation and could lead to a significant number of U.S. casualties, experts say.
…
Retired Gen. Joseph Votel, who served as the head of U.S. Central Command from 2016 to 2019, said the Marine units deployed in the region are capable of seizing the island, but doing so would require sustained protection, which could pull resources from other parts of the theater for long periods of time.
“We can do anything if we prioritize it,” said Votel, who is now a distinguished fellow at the Middle East Institute. “When you start putting troops on the ground, then you really become anchored in terms of the support that you have to provide them.”
…
Nearly 2,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division were recently ordered to the Middle East. The soldiers are drawn from the unit’s quick-reaction brigade known as the Immediate Response Force, which is designed to mobilize anywhere in the world in 18 hours
The units have a wide range of capabilities and give the combatant commander flexibility, Votel said.
“These are high-end units,” he said. “They carry a certain reputation that connotes readiness, that connotes aggressiveness, that connotes fighting success.”
…