This Is Why Why US ‘boots on the ground’ won’t be enough
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Apr 1, 2026 General Sir Nick Carter, former head of the UK armed forces with service in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, gives expert military analysis. He breaks down recent US troop movements and what they might signal. He explains operational meanings of 'troops', the challenges of seizing Gulf islands like Kharg, Iran’s defensive options in the Strait, and why invading Iran would be far harder than Iraq.
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Current US Forces Are Sized For Raids Not Invasion
- The US has deployed two Marine Expeditionary Units and elements of the 82nd Airborne, roughly brigade-sized (3,000–5,000) forces rather than a heavy invasion army.
- General Sir Nick Carter notes three carrier groups plus these forces signal capability for raids and seizing islands, not occupation of Iran proper.
Karg Island Seizure Would Be High Risk And Costly
- Seizing Karg Island would be logistically hard and casualty-prone due to geography and access limits; Marines would need to transit through Strait of Hormuz or fly from nearby ports.
- Carter warns parachuting onto limestone and proximity (≈30km) to Iranian coast makes forces vulnerable to missiles, drones, and hard to dig in.
Holding Strait Islands Won't Secure Shipping Alone
- Islands in or near the Strait of Hormuz like Kasham are defensible and close to Iran's coastline, making occupation hazardous.
- Iran can interdict shipping with submarines, seabed mines, maritime drones, fast boats and coastal missiles, so holding an island won't guarantee safe passage.