America Is Burning Through Its Strategic Margin in Iran: Patriot Stocks Under Pressure — What’s Left for Russia and China?
The war with Iran had already cost the Pentagon $33.4 billion through the end of June, including $22.3 billion in munitions. An official US watchdog has now identified “strategic inventory shortfalls,” while outside estimates suggest Patriot interceptor stocks have been drawn down sharply. The bigger question for Washington is no longer only Iran: how much military capacity can the United States consume in the Middle East while preserving enough to deter Russia and China?
