US General Seeks 'Off-Ramp' From Iran Conflict, Warns Airpower Alone Won't Work

In the corridors of American power, a quiet reckoning is underway: the nation's top military commander is privately counseling restraint, warning that bombs alone cannot bend a nation's will. General Dan Caine's appeal for an 'off-ramp' from the Iran conflict reflects an ancient tension between the ambitions of political leadership and the hard-won wisdom of those who must execute the orders. As the Strait of Hormuz hangs in the balance and new alliances reshape the Middle East, the United States finds itself at a crossroads familiar to empires throughout history — the moment when force meets