Top US General Tries to Dissuade White House from War with Iran

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, is secretly consulting with key White House figures, trying to convince the Trump administration to find a diplomatic exit from the six-month conflict with Iran. He warns of a stalemate in air operations, a shortage of precision-guided missiles and air defense systems, and risks to Gulf allies. Caine fears that without a ground operation, breaking Iran is impossible, but sending troops threatens thousands of casualties.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, is conducting highly secret consultations with key White House figures, trying to convince the Donald Trump administration to find an 'exit door' from the protracted conflict with Iran. This is reported by CNN. The sixth month of large-scale confrontation has made the top US military command think about a diplomatic retreat. The military leader fears that further escalation will backfire, and the reliance on precision airstrikes has already proven ineffective. The general shares his concerns with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Vice President JD Vance. His main argument is the limits of air power: Trump expected that bombings would force Tehran to capitulate without sending infantry, but Iran is not giving in, and the US is experiencing a shortage of precision-guided missiles and air defense systems. Gulf allies are alarmed about a possible response against their energy infrastructure. Caine must act cautiously to avoid Trump's wrath: in briefings, he assures that the Pentagon can 'crush' the enemy, but behind the scenes, he admits that without a bloody ground operation, breaking Iran is impossible. The team is looking for options for a symbolic victory to hand the matter over to diplomats.