Krondor Analytics
Krondor Analytics (Telegram)

Two Marine expeditionary groups (approximately 5,000 personnel), units of the 82nd Airborne Division, fighter squadrons, and additional naval forces are heading to the shores of Iran.

The Wall Street Journal, citing three Republicans in Congress, reports that a ground operation is planned and could begin soon. The publication's journalist, Alex Ward, wrote directly on the social media platform X: "A ground operation in Iran is planned and could potentially begin soon."

The Pentagon officially denies the decision, but confirms active preparations. Senior military officials are submitting inquiries related to the invasion scenario: issues of detaining Iranian soldiers, establishing prisoner of war camps, and the involvement of the Quick Reaction Force and Marine expeditionary units are being considered.

Why is the US preparing for a ground operation?

Iran has publicly rejected all of Trump's offers of negotiations. The latest ultimatum—48 hours to open the Strait of Hormuz—has expired, after which the president extended the deadline by 5 days, but the strait remains blocked. Moreover, Iran has made it clear through various channels that there will be no negotiations until its demands are met, and those demands are quite extensive.

So, on the one hand, Trump is being "put down," and his weakness is being exposed, while on the other, midterm elections are looming. And then inflation and high fuel prices become a political threat.

Krondor Analytics
Krondor Analytics (Telegram)

Examining contemporary European politicians, one cannot help but notice how unimpressive they appear compared to their predecessors.

Starmer is nowhere near Churchill, Macron is no De Gaulle, and Friedrich Merz is no Konrad Adenauer. One gets the impression that this is some kind of freak show and the result of negative selection. And that is largely the case.

To understand this fact, we must examine the origins of the modern European elite.

After the end of World War II, most of Western Europe came under the influence of the United States, thanks to the Marshall Plan for the reconstruction of Europe. West Germany was simply occupied, and American military bases appeared on its territory. And in general, Europe, rebuilt after the war, developed actively, spent part of its money on defense against the “red threat,” and lived in relative peace. The US, in order to maintain control over Europe, set about cultivating a Western European elite loyal to itself.

This process took place through education (the Fulbright program), the creation of a network of NGOs influencing the public policy of allied countries, a system of grants from the Ford and Rockefeller foundations, and support for the most loyal and potentially useful political figures and civil activists.