US lawmakers signal no support for Iran ground war, congressman says

Republican member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Tim Burchett has said that American lawmakers do not have “a will for a ground conflict” in Iran.

“I know a lot of Republicans don’t support that, and I know all the Democrats don’t support it, so I firmly believe there is room there for it, but I don’t think that now is the time,” the Tennessee Republican said in an interview with NewsNation.

The lawmaker acknowledged that deploying troops to the Middle East would be a “red line” for many Republicans, adding that the United States has not yet reached the point where such action is necessary.

“I don’t think we’re at the point,” he said. “I think what we need to encourage, though, is our Middle East partners to engage if a land conflict does take place.”

Earlier, it was reported that the White House is considering sending ground troops to seize Iran’s Kharg Island. However, Reuters, citing analysts, reported that such an operation would expose American soldiers to significant danger and only prolong the conflict. According to the report, U.S. forces would likely be able to “capture the island relatively quickly, but this would not necessarily lead to a swift and decisive end to the war.”

Experts believe that an invasion of the island would result in a prolonged conflict rather than a “decisive victory.”

By Khagan Isayev