Trump Says General Caine Sees an Easy Victory if U.S. Attacks Iran

President Trump said on Monday that Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, believed any military action against Iran would be "something easily won." That description differs from what General Caine has told the president and other senior advisers in recent high-level White House meetings.

In those meetings, General Caine laid out options for small or medium strikes, warned of a potentially high risk of American casualties and said such operations would deplete U.S. weapon stockpiles. He also said the operations under consideration would be much more difficult than the successful capture last month of President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela.

The exchange highlights General Caine’s balancing act: presenting the commander in chief with military options and their consequences while, as he regularly does, declining to advocate a specific policy. He discussed what the military could do from an operational standpoint but did not offer his personal recommendation.

United States

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