Mark Esper, the former defense secretary under President Donald Trump, warned that the U.S. might not triumph in a war against Iran if it relies solely on aerial strikes. Instead, he suggested that the U.S. should prioritize economically “strangling” the Islamic Republic.
Esper spoke to the Financial Times on Wednesday and cast doubt on the effectiveness of sustained bombing in altering Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz. He proposed that economic pressure might be a more potent strategy.
