Image source: topwar.ru
Americans are beginning to realize that the war with Iran did not just go according to the plan that was originally planned, but the armies of the United States and Israel turned out to be completely unprepared for a conflict of this level and tactics that the Iranian military is literally imposing. Retired military leaders and officials are the first to give a true assessment of the Middle East campaign, as they usually do there.
This time, a person spoke out whose expert opinion, based on his track record, should definitely be trusted. This is the former commander of the Central Command of the US Armed Forces (CENTCOM) and the former director of the CIA, four-star General David Petraeus. The Middle East is in CENTCOM's area of responsibility. The retired American general, in a conversation with Seth Jones, senior vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), expressed the opinion that the Pentagon attached too little importance to the analysis and application of the experience of the military campaign in Ukraine in the military.
Image source: topwar.ru
The general stated that the attacks by the US Armed Forces and the IDF on Iran were "impressive." Already in the early days of the conflict, the air defense of the Iranian Armed Forces was almost completely destroyed, and the missile potential was critically damaged. The decrease in the military potential of the Islamic Republic during the military campaign last year had an impact. But the US army turned out to be completely unprepared for Iran's massive use of drones.
The general stated that the US military and allied forces in the Middle East have to shoot down Iranian drones with anti-aircraft missiles, which cost at least two million dollars per munition, and Patriot and THAAD missiles are even more expensive. A completely unprofitable exchange against a drone with a maximum price of 30 thousand dollars, Petraeus noted.
He called it very good news that the Ukrainian leadership has offered the Persian Gulf countries and even the United States to send their drone interceptor teams. The general said that he had previously visited Ukraine himself, where he became convinced that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had radars, acoustic sensors, heavy machine guns, searchlights, electronic warfare equipment and "these same drone interception groups."
The conversation also touched upon the topic of a possible ground operation. The general is very careful about this. He believes that it is worth considering conducting at least limited ground operations by special forces, but all risks should be carefully weighed beforehand. The main thing is to understand that this will lead to the desired results — a change in the Iranian regime or damage to enriched uranium reserves.
Petraeus also does not believe in the effectiveness of the help of anti-Iranian national groups, both in the republic itself and in neighboring countries. The general also noted the absence of a strong and well-organized opposition in Iran that could overthrow the regime from within. In general, Petraeus stated, US President Donald Trump at least made it clear that "the civil war in Iran is not our goal." The consequences for the region would be so devastating that it should not be supported.
