Daniel Davis Deep Dive Col Doug Macgregor: IRAN WAR - The Myth of Air Power
Mar 31, 2026
Col Doug Macgregor, retired U.S. Army colonel and outspoken defense analyst, offers a blunt critique of air power and conventional plans against Iran. He questions bombing campaigns, amphibious ideas, and the feasibility of reopening the Strait. They cover logistic strains, regional economic fallout, and why a military solution may not exist.
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Bombing Hurt Trade But Did Not Collapse Iran
- Air and naval strikes have not stopped Iran from continuing missile and drone attacks.
- Col Doug Macgregor cites 95–97% drop in commercial Hormuz traffic and 15 million barrels/day offline as evidence the campaign hurt global trade but failed to collapse Iran.
Conflict Will Trigger Long Global Economic And Food Crisis
- U.S. economic and food-security fallout from the conflict is severe and prolonged even if fighting stops.
- Macgregor predicts six months to a year to recover trade and warns of looming famines due to fertilizer shortages affecting Africa and South Asia.
20,000 Troops Won't Move The Strategic Needle
- Small ground forces (≈20,000 light infantry) cannot change strategic conditions inside a continental power like Iran.
- Macgregor compares sending light troops to using jackhammers on the Rock of Gibraltar to illustrate futility and high casualty risk.