Why the US can't defeat Iran: mountains, readiness and Hormuz
Mountainous terrain, air defences and the Strait of Hormuz make Iran an opponent the US cannot crush the way it did Iraq.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Iran: the geography that slows America's military machine
The world's greatest military power cannot achieve against Iran what it achieved against Iraq. The reasons go beyond propaganda: mountainous terrain and decades of preparation have turned Iranian airspace into a serious challenge. It is not a desert like Iraq's, and air superiority no longer guarantees anything, as Vietnam showed.
Mountains as the first line of defence
Iran is a country of mountain ranges, not an open plain. That complicates massive bombing and the logistics of an invasion. On top of that, an air defence programme has limited attacks, forcing Washington to change strategy.
Hormuz, the thorn in the side
The Strait of Hormuz is the valve of the world's oil supply. Triggering its closure would be economic suicide for everyone, including America's allies. That is Iran's great trump card: turning any all-out war into a global energy crisis.
War is also business
Some argue that the arms industry benefits from a long conflict. Meanwhile, Pentagon prudence avoids operations like Linebacker, which left dozens of B-52s shot down over Vietnam. The underlying question remains open: can the US not subdue Iran, or is it simply not worth it?
The world's greatest military power cannot achieve against Iran what it achieved against Iraq. The reasons go beyond propaganda: mountainous terrain and decades of preparation have turned Iranian airspace into a serious challenge. It is not a desert like Iraq's, and air superiority no longer guarantees anything, as Vietnam showed.
Mountains as the first line of defence
Iran is a country of mountain ranges, not an open plain. That complicates massive bombing and the logistics of an invasion. On top of that, an air defence programme has limited attacks, forcing Washington to change strategy.
Hormuz, the thorn in the side
The Strait of Hormuz is the valve of the world's oil supply. Triggering its closure would be economic suicide for everyone, including America's allies. That is Iran's great trump card: turning any all-out war into a global energy crisis.
War is also business
Some argue that the arms industry benefits from a long conflict. Meanwhile, Pentagon prudence avoids operations like Linebacker, which left dozens of B-52s shot down over Vietnam. The underlying question remains open: can the US not subdue Iran, or is it simply not worth it?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (50 replies).
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