Military expert Robert Pape warned Sunday on Newsmax that U.S. forces in the Middle East could face significant retaliation from Iran even if President Donald Trump follows through on threats to cripple the country's energy infrastructure.
Speaking on Newsmax's "Sunday Agenda," Pape, a University of Chicago political science professor, said the situation has reached "a most dangerous moment," with Washington and Tehran locked into demands he described as "zero-sum."
"It cannot be the case that Iran controls Hormuz and does not control Hormuz. It cannot be the case that Iran is enriching uranium and not enriching uranium," Pape said, describing a cycle of escalation and stalled diplomacy.
His comments come as a fragile ceasefire between the U.S., Israel, and Iranian-backed forces is set to expire within days, with Trump warning Tehran it could face strikes if it fails to agree to a deal. The administration has signaled a willingness to target Iran's infrastructure if negotiations collapse.
Pape said such a move would carry risks for U.S. troops stationed in the region.
"We have the capability, within a couple of hours, to take down the entire electric power system," he said. "However, even though we have that military capability, we need to prepare that if we do that, our troops in the region need to know there is a tremendous lash-back capability that will not be negated by those attacks."
Pape added a direct warning: "If that happens, they cannot expect those missiles that will not come back. That electric power will not knock out the missile retaliation."
He also pointed to diplomatic efforts, including planned talks in Islamabad, but cautioned that without compromise, the standoff could spiral into a broader conflict.
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Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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