Karg Island Deployment Debated Following Graham's Call

A debate has emerged within the U.S. military concerning the potential deployment of ground troops to Karg Island, Iran, following a call to action from Senator Lindsey Graham. Graham, speaking two weeks ago on Fox News Sunday, urged President Trump to “Keep it up for a few more weeks. Take Karg Island, where all of the resources they have to produce oil. Control that island. Let this regime die on a vine.” Karg Island, located at the north end of the Persian Gulf, is described as the transshipment point for 90% of Iran's oil.

The recommendation from Graham ignited a contentious debate among U.S. military veterans regarding the wisdom of using ground troops in Iran. U.S. Army veteran Alan Fraser, now a military affairs journalist, stated that, “as we've seen in recent decades and as far back as World War II, you know, taking an island or sending troops ashore is usually the first step to a much larger conflict or an expansion of the conflict.” Senator Graham previously served as a military lawyer in the U.S. Air Force.

Graham, during his Fox News appearance, drew a comparison to the World War II battle of Iwo Jima, stating, “We did Iwo Jima, we can do this. The Marines, my money's always on the Marines.” Iwo Jima and Karg Island are almost exactly the same size, both measuring 21 square kilometers. Iwo Jima was strategically important due to its proximity to the Japanese home islands and its potential for use as a base for American fighter planes.

Iwo Jima as a Historical Parallel

The battle for Iwo Jima, which began in February 1945, involved a U.S. armada of 450 ships, 40,000 sailors, and 70,000 U.S. Marine land troops. The initial landing on the beach was described as a trap, with Japanese forces hidden in caves on Mount Suribachi opening fire after a large number of U.S. forces and their equipment were ashore. For the next five weeks, Marines engaged in a “slogging advance” against Japanese fighters, utilizing flamethrowers to dislodge defenders from caves.

The U.S. suffered 26,000 casualties during the battle for Iwo Jima, including almost 7,000 killed or missing. It remains the only battle of the Pacific War where American casualties exceeded Japanese casualties. Bryn Tannehill, a veteran who served as a medevac pilot and later as an Iran analyst for the U.S. Navy, noted that Iwo Jima was “one of the bloodiest, nastiest, most brutal battles of the Pacific War,” and that a similar operation on Karg Island could be “potentially worse” due to Iran’s ability to bombard the island with missiles and drones.

Khe Sanh Comparison and Potential Oil Fire Concerns

The prospect of U.S. Marines under siege on Karg Island also drew comparisons to the Battle of Khe Sanh, a U.S. military outpost in South Vietnam. U.S. Commander William Westmoreland deployed a significant amount of resources to the base, intending to lure out communist attackers, but the enemy was able to attack the base at will, resulting in a five-month siege and 600 U.S. casualties, including 168 deaths. The base was ultimately abandoned, and Westmoreland was relieved of command.

A key concern raised was the potential for Iran to set fire to the oil facilities on Karg Island, similar to what Saddam Hussein did in Kuwait during the first Gulf War in 1991. The prevailing winds in the area blow from the west, and the oil terminals are located on the western side of the island. This would mean that any smoke and petrochemical fumes from a fire would blow back over American troops stationed on the island. It was stated that if the Iranians set fire to those facilities, it “will be a long time before that's brought under control, and it will be a serious set back to American strategy in the region.”

Veterans of battles such as Iwo Jima, Khe Sanh, and Fallujah have expressed caution regarding a ground operation on Karg Island. Following Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Cain stated that the U.S. military would remain prepared to restart the battle, saying, “Let us be clear, a ceasefire is a pause and the joint force remains ready if ordered or called upon to resume combat operations.” There are over 50,000 U.S. military personnel remaining in the Persian Gulf area awaiting a decision on whether the battle will resume after the two-week ceasefire.