Honest, paywall-free news is rare. Please support our boldly independent journalism with a donation of any size.

The Pentagon has reportedly extended Middle East deployments of American troops, fighter squadrons, and warships into next year as the deadly, expensive, and deeply unpopular Iran war drags on with no end in sight.

The Wall Street Journal reported late Wednesday that Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth — who, like President Donald Trump, insisted the Iran assault would be over swiftly — has decided that the US military will maintain a “presence of 50,000 troops in the region in part to give the president flexibility on next steps.” The Pentagon “could also keep elements of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division in the Middle East well into 2027,” the Journal added, citing a letter that military leaders sent to families.

The Journal also reported that Trump, who has falsely called Iran a “dead” country, is “having discussions with senior aides about whether to declare the Iran war over,” even as the bombings continue, American troops remain in the region, and the administration ratchets up economic sanctions.

“ Trump administration seems to excel at bombing schools and weddings,” Brian Finucane, senior........

© Truthout