Bloomberg: U.S. and Iran Locked in a Military Trap with No Clean Exit

The United States and Iran have fallen into a military trap.

According to Bloomberg, the conflict has reached a point where neither side has an acceptable way out. The war appears doomed to become permanent. The only possible exit may be severe economic shocks that make continued fighting impossible for one side or the other.

Yet the situation for the United States is not entirely straightforward. The experience of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln offers a clear illustration.

The ship spent nearly a year in the Middle East. Information leaked to the media that during that period there were 60 suicide attempts. Sailors had fallen into despair; they were literally going hungry and lacked basic necessities. Crews were not rotated, even though rotation is normally due after three to six months of service.

The conditions became so dire that public pressure forced Washington to recall the carrier. It is being replaced by the USS George Washington. Supply and logistics, however, remain unchanged.