As the US prepares to escalate the war on Iran with a potential ground invasion, Col. Wilkerson divulges the long reticence of US military planners to engage Iran, and the folly of such an endeavor. More than one month into the American-Israeli war on Iran, the US military has expended a significant amount of its arsenal and many billions of dollars without making any progress in meeting its illusory and often-changing objectives. As the White House and Pentagon, and the markets, panic, the United States has begun deploying troops and resources to the region in preparation for a possible ground assault. This raises significant questions about what type of campaign the US is capable of waging and whether, as analysts are saying, fighting the Iranian military on its own terrain would be a bloodbath for US troops. Would putting boots on the ground embroil the US in another prolonged quagmire, similar to other recent US wars in the region, that would end in defeat?
In this interview, Chris Hedges speaks with retired Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, who is a combat veteran of the Vietnam War and who, during his long military career, served as Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell as well as director of military colleges. Wilkerson begins the conversation by framing the war on Iran as part of the US’ greater strategy to mitigate its declining ability to dominate world markets and counter China’s rise, especially China’s construction of new trade routes that are out of reach of the US.
Wilkerson describes how the US’ strategy is failing so far and how Iran’s calculated responses to the US-Israeli attacks have resulted in great losses for the US military, have already significantly altered geopolitical relationships, and are likely to result in a global depression. Both Hedges and Wilkerson express concern that as Israel becomes more desperate, it may launch a nuclear attack on Iran. That threat is now likely to push Iran to develop nuclear weapons.
Wilkerson advises that the best path out of this potential quagmire is for the US to declare a victory and retreat — but he doubts that the Trump administration will have the wisdom to realize this. Nor does he believe that the administration has any real idea of why this war is being fought, acting instead as slaves to their “masters.”
---
---
The Chris Hedges Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber The post Larry Wilkerson, Chris Hedges – Will There be a Ground Invasion of Iran? appeared first on Brave New Europe .