The #US is quietly getting ready for a ground war with Iran. This isn't just talk anymore.
CBS News says that the #TRUMP administration is well past the "options on the table" stage. Senior military leaders have already made specific requests to the President to get ready for a ground invasion of Iran. Trump, on the other hand, is really thinking about putting ground troops in the area.
The details are important. The US has undertaken internal planning meetings to figure out how to deal with the imprisonment of Iranian soldiers and IRGC paramilitary agents. This is the kind of logistical work you don't do for a hypothetical. Some parts of the 82nd Airborne Division, which is one of the military's fastest-deploying units, are getting ready to go to the Middle East.
This is not a peacekeeping unit, so let's be clear about what the 82nd Airborne does. It exists to quickly put combat troops into areas that are being fought over.
None of this indicates that troops will be on the ground tomorrow. A choice is not the same as deliberation. But the way the troops are positioned, the rules for detention, and the directives for divisional deployment show that the administration is getting closer to "committing" to something.
When you put this next to Iran's Hormuz toll scheme and the bigger naval standoff, you see that both sides are being more aggressive while keeping an eye on what the other side does next. It's going to be a long weekend.
