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A Body Blow? The War on Iran and U.S. Military Readiness

September 17, 2026
A Body Blow? The War on Iran and U.S. Military Readiness
A Body Blow? The War on Iran and U.S. Military Readiness

A Body Blow? The War on Iran and U.S. Military Readiness

Mark Cancian, Stacie Pettyjohn, Michael Eisenstadt, and Ryan Evans
September 17, 2026

The war against Iran is putting new strains on U.S. military readiness by consuming munitions and missile defense interceptors, as well as through extended deployments, sustained operational demands, and the diversion of forces and attention from other theaters. Mark Cancian (Center for Strategic and International Studies), Stacie Pettyjohn (Center for a New American Security), and Michael Eisenstadt (Washington Institute for Near East Policy) join Ryan to unpack what readiness actually means, how the war is affecting it, what vulnerabilities have been exposed, and what it all means for deterrence and the U.S. military’s ability to respond to a crisis with China.

Image: Duy Nguyen via DVIDS

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