Since the U.S. and Israel launched the Iran War on February 28, Iran’s attacks on U.S. bases have killed multiple U.S. service members, injured many others, and damaged billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. military equipment, while providing limited utility in the conflict.
These bases are the physical manifestation of the United States’ needless entanglement in the region. Even as the United States chooses yet another Middle East war, there are very few direct threats to U.S. national security emanating from the region. The only reason that Iran, or any of its allies, poses a threat to the United States is because of the presence of these bases and the tens of thousands of troops deployed to the region.
The United States should redress its overextension and close most of the bases as part of a broader retrenchment from the Middle East. Given that such a maneuver would be politically impractical amid war, the United States should use the eventual termination of this conflict as an opportunity to pull back and significantly reduce its presence in the region.
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