Washington evaluates the hypothesis of declaring an end to the war with Iran
The White House is reportedly evaluating an exit strategy from the conflict with Iran. According to reporting by Reuters, U.S. intelligence has been tasked with assessing the consequences of a possible unilateral declaration of the end of the war by President Donald Trump.
Specifically, intelligence services are analyzing how Tehran might react if Trump were to proclaim a unilateral victory. The objective, according to the agency, is to understand the implications of a potential American disengagement from a conflict that several officials and advisors fear could translate into heavy electoral losses for the Republican Party in the midterm elections scheduled for November. This is an appointment that many observers already predict will favor the opposition, due to the unpopularity of the military operation and the resulting surge in fuel prices across the country.
No decision has been made yet
Washington has not yet resolved its reservations, and Trump could still choose to intensify the military campaign. However, according to Reuters, a rapid de-escalation would ease the political pressure on the president, though it risks strengthening Iranian resolve and allowing Tehran time to reconstruct its nuclear and missile programs, with all the implications that entails for the security of American allies in the region.
The internal atmosphere at the White House, described by the agency based on three anonymous sources involved in recent discussions on Iran, is that of a president perfectly aware of the “political cost” that he and his party are paying for the war. A White House official reportedly defined the internal pressure to close the conflict as “enormous.”
“Various military options” remain on the table, including the resumption of raids against Iranian political leaders and military command. However, the most ambitious hypotheses, including a potential land invasion, appear “less likely today than they did a few weeks ago.” Further complicating American calculations is the fact that Iran has exploited the ceasefire period to recover a significant portion of its weaponry. The price of resuming large-scale operations, Reuters warns, would likely be “higher today” than during the early days of the truce that began on April 8.
The CIA, furthermore, refused to respond to specific questions regarding Iran: “The CIA is not aware of the intelligence community assessment cited,” stated Liz Lyons, director of the agency’s office of public affairs. The office of the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, declined to comment.
Photo thewhitehouse.gov
