Iran war creates two front defence dilemma for US against China and Russia
The US military is facing a critical depletion of missile and air-defense inventories due to prolonged involvement in the Middle East. This shortage has raised concerns among planners about the nation's ability to deter potential threats from China and Russia, particularly regarding the defense of Taiwan.
Why it matters
The strain on US defense stockpiles could fundamentally alter global security dynamics and the ability of the US to respond to multiple simultaneous geopolitical crises.
The US war with Iran is creating a military dilemma that extends far beyond the Middle East, with the heavy use of American missiles and air-defence interceptors raising concerns over Washington’s ability to deter or respond to potential threats from China and Russia.US military planners are increasingly worried that weapons consumed or shifted to the Middle East have left critical gaps in America’s wider global defence posture.The shortages are particularly acute in Europe, where US inventories of PAC-3 Patriot air-defence interceptors and ATACMS surface-to-surface missiles have fallen to what officials described as “beyond critical” levels.Other weapons, including precision-strike missiles, guided rockets and THAAD interceptors, have also been drawn down or moved from Europe to the Middle East, forcing the US European Command to adjust its operational plans.The Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials, that by mid-July the US had expended about 1,700 Patriot air-defence interceptors and more than 200…
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