US unlikely to engage in protracted war: US Vice President

US Vice President J.D. Vance said that while President Donald Trump is considering a possible military strike against Iran, there is “no chance” of the US getting involved in a protracted war.

In an interview with The Washington Post on Thursday (February 26), Vance said he did not know Trump’s final decision. But he said that all options were on the table, from military action to “ensuring that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon.”

“There is no chance that we will be in an endless war in the Middle East for years and years,” he said.

The 41-year-old Marine Corps veteran and former Iraq War critic describes himself as “a staunch opponent of foreign military intervention” and suggests that Trump shares his cautious stance. “I think we all prefer the diplomatic path,” Vance said.

Regarding the internal debate within the Republican Party over Middle East policy, including its stance on Israel, he said that it is positive to have an open discussion.

Regarding a recent interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Vance said, "I think it is a very good discussion, which is necessary for the right wing not just for the next few years, but for the long term."

Meanwhile, talks between the US and Iran continued in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, amid the largest US military gathering in the Middle East since the Iraq war.

Trump has publicly advocated regime change in Iran, describing it as "the best thing that could happen."

Source: Anadolu Agency.