Tom Ricks: A ground invasion won't work in Iran

By Tom Ricks - Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, July 24, 2008 Story appeared in section, Page NONE Army Maj. Bruce W. Terry, in a paper written last year at the Army's Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., explains why the United States doesn't have much of a ground military option for dealing with Iran: A full ground invasion and occupation of Iran is only marginally feasible, but it is not acceptable for the object of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, though the assurance of stopping Iran's nuclear development makes this COA (course of action) suitable. An invasion would take a minimum of four years, under ideal circumstances, just to mobilize the force needed to execute the invasion. The mobilization would likely require conscription to fill the 1.25 million soldiers needed for an... [read full story]