Lawmakers warn Iran conflict is straining U.S. readiness to counter China
WASHINGTON — U.S. lawmakers are raising concerns that the ongoing conflict with Iran is weakening the country’s strategic position, warning that military and economic resources are being diverted from addressing long-term threats posed by China and other global rivals.
Representative Ro Khanna, a senior Democrat and ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said the current approach risks undermining U.S. 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 is “stretching our armed forces thin by pursuing an ill-advised ‘pivot to the Middle East,’” arguing that the shift in focus could weaken U.S. strategic priorities in Asia.
Khanna also highlighted the financial burden of the conflict, warning of mounting economic strain.
“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 further criticized reported outreach to Beijing, cautioning that involving China in efforts to resolve the conflict could damage key 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 offered a stark assessment of the broader national security risks tied to 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 are depleting U.S. resources while 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 growing economic fallout, including disruptions to global energy markets.
“With the Strait of Hormuz closed and oil prices skyrocketing, Trump is actually losing the war,” he said, adding that the costs are being “paid in the lives of brave young Americans… as well as by children and innocent civilians.”
He warned that the focus on the Middle East risks distracting from more pressing strategic challenges.
“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,” Moulton said.
The Massachusetts lawmaker also highlighted concerns about China’s expanding 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,” he said.
He added that Russia poses additional risks, 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 emphasized that prolonged engagement in the Middle East could undermine U.S. readiness to respond to global threats, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, where competition with China continues to intensify. (Source: IANS)
