As the prospect of renewed negotiations hangs by a thread, the chances of Trump ordering some kind of ground incursion appear to be rising
It is the doomsday scenario that Donald Trump repeatedly swore he would never countenance: putting boots on the ground in a deployment that could embroil the US in a Middle East “forever war”.
Now, with a two-week ceasefire in the war with Iran coming to an end and prospects for renewed negotiations hanging by a thread, the chances of the president breaking that pledge and ordering some kind of ground incursion seem to be rising.
Despite increasing hopes for an end to the conflict over the past two weeks, the Trump administration has deployed more forces to the region in the period in a signal of readiness for possible escalation. By the time the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and its Marine corps task force arrive at the end of the month, more than 10,000 additional troops will have been sent since hostilities were paused on 8 April, after the ceasefire agreement.
“If we pay more attention to what President Trump does rather than what he says, then a ground invasion is quite likely,” said Ali Vaez, the Iran project director at the International Crisis Group.
