US Senators Demand Hearing over Troop Strain in War against Iran

By Staff, Agencies 

A group of US senators has called for a congressional hearing into the strain placed on American service members by the war on Iran, citing severe logistical problems and extended deployments at naval vessels and military bases across the region.

The 12 senators, all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to committee Chairman Roger Wicker requesting a public hearing with senior Pentagon officials over the “poor planning and mismanagement of extended deployments” and its impact on US troops.

Led by Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, the lawmakers pointed to dwindling supplies and deteriorating conditions aboard several ships and at US military bases in the region.

They specifically cited the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed in the Middle East for nearly nine months, amid reports of a serious mental health crisis among its crew.

The USS Abraham Lincoln, a key symbol of American naval aggression in the West Asia region, has begun its humiliating retreat back to the United States.

The senators accused US military leadership of a “systemic failure of planning and adaptation,” arguing that service members are suffering because the administration has failed to end the war or ensure safe conditions for troops to receive food, medication and other supplies they require.

The senators also warned that the situation could have serious consequences for military recruitment and retention.

“Why would anyone sign up to fight when they fear they will be exploited and left without supplies, recourse or support?” they asked in the letter.

“The stakes couldn’t be higher,” the senators said, warning that the longer the administration fails to present a plan to end a “disastrous war,” the longer US service members will bear the consequences.

The decision on whether to hold the requested public hearing now rests with Wicker.

According to the Pentagon’s latest casualty figures, more than 750 US military personnel have been wounded since the start of the US-"Israeli" war on Iran.

The Department of War’s casualty database, updated on Wednesday, added more than 50 wounded personnel, bringing the official toll to 757 wounded and 18 killed since February 28, when the United States and “Israel” launched their aggression against Iran.