Half of the Joint Chiefs of Staff fervently favor a ground invasion of Iran, while the other half oppose an unavoidable bloodbath. Even Marine Corps Commandant General Smith cautioned President Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth against deploying Marines, by air or by sea, to Iran while the IRGC is still at “near full strength,” a source in Gen. Smith’s office told Real Raw News.
President Trump is under heavy pressure to end an “excursion” he said would take two weeks to complete back in February. Gas prices are spiking again. His “Freedom fuel” agenda has collapsed. Utility costs are skyrocketing, especially in coal-producing Virginia, a Republican stronghold. Iran has broken every ceasefire agreement the US offered it in good faith, imperiling not only the transit of oil but also precious fertilizer, which American farmers can no longer afford. Even Republican lawmakers like Speaker of the House Mike Johnson have urged Trump to hit Iran hard and close out the war before the protracted conflict dooms Republicans in the upcoming midterms.
Trump is strained, and the mood in the White House and the Pentagon is grim, despite Karoline Leavitt’s public-facing comments assuring Fox News audiences that war is going swimmingly, and all are united behind Trump’s mission. In Trump’s eyes, boots on the ground are the court of last resort, but besides Hawkish chiefs of staff, administration officials with an absolute dearth of military knowledge are hounding the president to deploy Marines because “That’s what we pay them for,” in Stephen Miller’s words.
President Trump, our source said, has had to reprimand Miller and others for speaking on matters outside their purview. However, Trump listens attentively—but often disagrees with—the Joint Chiefs of Staff, men who cut their teeth in the military and led troops to victory on global battlefields.
Our source wouldn’t say which chiefs took which position—except for Gen. Smith, who laid bare the tactical difficulties of successfully landing Marines in Iran.
I: Military and Geographic Barriers
Iran has fortified its narrow coastline and the Strait of Hormuz with still-operational anti-ship cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and fast-attack craft.
II: Vulnerability of slow craft
Marine amphibious landing ships and hovercraft are slow-moving vehicles that face catastrophic destruction from shore batteries, underwater drones, and sea mines before reaching the beach. So far, the US has damaged but not neutered these defenses.
III: Lack of Strategic Depth
A few thousand landing Marines would lack the heavy armored divisions needed to push inland against a massive, entrenched national military on its home turf. The Marines have only two unviable means of airdropping troops—helicopters and Ospreys–tempting MANPADS targets
Gen. Smith, our source added, suggested strategic yet problematic alternatives, such as targeted island seizure. Instead of a mainland assault, military options focus narrowly on seizing small, isolated Iranian-controlled islands or critical economic nodes like Kharg Island. But that option could prove perilous, for Kharg Island houses thousands of heavily armed IRGC commandoes who would fight to the death, shouting, “Allahu Akbar,” as they swarm American forces. Gen. Smith projects a catastrophic death toll—50% friendly casualties. And even if Marines defeat the IRGC and secure the island, Tehran might train its remaining missiles on it, incinerating it and killing their own soldiers instead of surrendering Kharg to American forces.
“The Joint Chiefs agree on one point: Iran won’t honor a deal, and Tehran will break all deals and overtures of peace as long as one Muslim’s left standing to fight. Never trust a Muslim. Fact is, the fight hasn’t gone as planned, and the Iranians are tenacious. One way or the other, POTUS must achieve victory, and I mean real victory, soon, and preferably without more American casualties. We know Trump won’t retreat—he’d lose face. General Smith thinks bombing Iran more massively than we’ve been is the only solution to bring Tehran to its knees. We really can’t nuke’em, but the US has about 30 MOABS in inventory, and maybe it’s time to drop’em. See if that rattles their cage,” our source said.