Iran war strains US readiness against China: Ro Khanna

Washington, March 18 (IANS) US lawmakers have warned that the ongoing Iran conflict is weakening America's strategic posture, with senior Democrats cautioning that resources are being diverted from countering China and other major threats.

Representative Ro Khanna, Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said President Donald Trump's actions risk undermining US deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.

"President Trump's reckless war in Iran puts America's security and economy at risk. The United States should be focused on countering the growing challenge of maintaining peace and stability in the Pacific," Khanna said.

He added that the administration was "stretching our armed forces thin by pursuing an ill-advised 'pivot to the Middle East'."

Khanna also flagged the financial and economic strain of the conflict.

"This war is costing taxpayers nearly $1 billion per day and burning through critical munitions. This kind of spending is unsustainable, and Americans are already feeling the consequences as gas prices soar and economic uncertainty mounts," he said.

He criticised the administration's outreach to Beijing, warning that it could weaken alliances.

"Now the president is asking China to send warships to the region to help end a war he cannot finish -- a dangerously misguided move that threatens to erode the partnerships that form the backbone of our deterrence," Khanna said.

At a separate House Armed Services subcommittee hearing, Representative Seth Moulton delivered a sharp assessment of the broader security risks arising from the conflict.

"We simply cannot ignore the fact that, as we sit here today, America is more at risk than we were before the Iran War began, both in the Middle East and at home," Moulton said.

He argued that sustained military operations were depleting resources and emboldening adversaries.

"Since taking office 14 months ago, the 'President of Peace' has attacked seven countries, and through these conflicts of choice, has expended scarce munitions and emboldened both China and Russia," he said.

Moulton also pointed to escalating economic fallout.

"With the Strait of Hormuz closed and oil prices skyrocketing, Trump is actually losing the war," he said, adding that the conflict was imposing costs "paid in the lives of brave young Americans… as well as by children and innocent civilians."

The lawmaker warned that the US strategic focus was shifting away from critical long-term threats.

"With everything going wrong in the Middle East, it's easy to lose focus on America's strategic defence, but it remains the bedrock of our national security and must remain a top priority," he said.

He highlighted growing concerns over China's military capabilities.

"The Chinese Communist Party's ICBM fleet continues to exceed US intelligence estimates, and they have deployed several hypersonic weapons that can carry nuclear weapons," Moulton said.

He also flagged risks from Russia, warning that Moscow "has developed a treaty-violating, space-based nuclear weapon that would destroy nearly all the satellites we rely on for GPS and communications every day."

Both lawmakers emphasised that sustained engagement in the Middle East could undermine the US' readiness to respond to global threats, particularly in Asia, where competition with China is intensifying.

The latest remarks come as the Iran conflict continues to dominate US foreign policy, raising concerns in Washington about overstretch and strategic drift.

--IANS

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