General Caine is not the only one to opine that the war with Iran, which was supposed to be a “short excursion”, has reached a crossroads
As the Iran war drags on, US President Donald Trump’s top advisers are looking for an “off-ramp” as military options available to the administration could backfire and air missions alone are not enough to achieve the stated objectives, sources said.
Over the past few weeks, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine has privately conveyed this message to President Trump. “Caine is looking for an off-ramp,” a source said, CNN reported.
General Caine is not the only one to opine that the war with Iran –– which was supposed to be a “short excursion” –– has reached a crossroads. While he has discussed concerns about the military options for escalating the conflict, he has asked key Cabinet officials, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, to find an “off-ramp”, sources said.
“I think it is just his way of protecting the military,” one of the sources told CNN.
President Donald Trump, who appears reluctant to deploy ground troops in Iran, has signaled a preference for an air bombing mission instead which he believes can persuade the Iranians into agreeing on a deal on his terms.
According to the CNN report, citing the said sources, Caine and several others in Trump’s cabinet have sought to pursue other options that fit within the President’s own parametres.