The Washington Post reports that senior U.S. military commanders have warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that sustaining large-scale operations against the Islamic Republic over the long term is unsustainable. They cautioned that transferring forces and materiel to the Middle East significantly erodes America’s capacity to counter threats elsewhere, including potential risks to the U.S. homeland.
In a report published on Sunday, August 30, The Washington Post cited sources familiar with a classified assessment, noting that top brass from the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, alongside four-star commanders overseeing operations in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, voiced their concerns in the Defense Department Orders Book (SDOB). The document was delivered to Hegseth on August 14.
The SDOB is a classified internal Pentagon document produced roughly twice a month. It details the operational readiness and worldwide deployment of U.S. warships, aircraft, personnel, and weapons systems, serving as a primary framework for force allocation decisions.
Commanders Across Three Regions Oppose Continued Force Commitments
According to the assessment cited by The Washington Post, the heads of U.S. European Command (EUCOM), U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), and U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), along with the Chief of Naval Operations, formally registered their opposition to extending troop deployments in support of the conflict with the Islamic Republic, while affirming that they would carry out Secretary Hegseth’s directives.
