WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Top U.S. general Dan Caine has, over the last few weeks, privately told other top advisers of President Donald Trump that Washington needs to find an off-ramp from the war with Iran, CNN reported.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman made the suggestion because "military options on the table to escalate the conflict could backfire," and airpower alone is unlikely to achieve Trump's stated objectives, the report said, citing three sources familiar with the matter.
The report noted that Trump has consistently appeared averse to the idea of deploying ground troops in Iran, betting that airstrikes alone can force Tehran to agree to a deal on his terms but Caine and others in Trump's cabinet privately view that outcome as "unlikely."
The CNN report came one day after Trump said that although overall U.S. ammunition stockpiles remain sufficient, supplies of certain types of ammunition are "a little bit tighter."
Data from the Pentagon showed that 18 U.S. service members were killed and 687 were injured in the war against Iran.
A growing number of polls showed rising public backlash against the war on Iran. A recent Washington Post-Ipsos poll found that 68 percent of Americans believe the war is not "worth fighting." A new Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that just one in three Americans support the war against Iran, the lowest reading since the five-month-old conflict's early days. ■
