According to a report published on Aug. 7 by CNN, and widely reported since then, Gen. Dan Caine, the low-key Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is looking for an “off ramp” from the war against Iran because there are no good military options that will achieve President Trump’s objectives. There is no corroboration for the news-source revelation, but the reference point is the obvious reality of the U.S. in a losing situation. Caine has reportedly been discussing his concerns with other top officials, among them, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, two of CNN’s three sources said.
Caine has recently met on the side with some of those key, like-minded Trump advisers in an effort to facilitate interagency coordination, and to ensure they are on the same page ahead of meetings with the president, the CNN report continued. The aim has been to make clear the limitations and pitfalls of the available military options, including those that do not involve putting U.S. boots on the ground, the sources said.
