US Faces Missile Shortages and 250-Day Morale Crisis in Iran War, Reviving Vietnam Parallels
Updated
Updated · Foreign Policy · Aug 14
US Faces Missile Shortages and 250-Day Morale Crisis in Iran War, Reviving Vietnam Parallels
3 articles · Updated · Foreign Policy · Aug 14
Summary
Costly U.S. missile stocks are running low in the Iran war, undermining Washington’s ability to sustain an intense campaign and leaving forces more exposed in East Asia and on Europe’s eastern flank.
More than 250 days at sea have also battered morale on blockade duty, with multiple USS Abraham Lincoln crew members reportedly attempting to jump to their deaths during the Iran deployment.
The critique ties those strains to ill-defined war aims, secretive planning and heavy reliance on airpower and technology—failures the report argues echo the U.S. path into Vietnam.
Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are seeking a $1.5 trillion military budget increase even as Iran says five months of fighting have taught it how to confront what it now sees as a weaker U.S. military.
Can the U.S. sustain an indefinite blockade if the USS Abraham Lincoln’s long deployment is already straining crew welfare and readiness?
Could a prolonged Hormuz shutdown trigger not just an energy shock, but a hidden biosecurity crisis when stranded ships finally sail again?
If Hormuz is supposedly open, why are trade, insurance, and oil flows collapsing—and who really controls the waterway now?
Breaking Point at Sea: The USS Abraham Lincoln’s 250-Day Blockade and Its Global Economic and Human Toll
Overview
The USS Abraham Lincoln’s record-breaking deployment to the Middle East in 2026, driven by the war with Iran, led to severe crew exhaustion, logistical breakdowns, and a mental health crisis, culminating in a sailor’s overboard incident. As the Navy struggled with extended deployments, maintenance backlogs, and a shrinking pool of available carriers, burnout spread across the fleet, fueling recruitment and retention problems. The U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz slashed global oil exports, causing energy prices to soar and triggering economic pain worldwide. Meanwhile, Iran’s asymmetric countermeasures and the risk of escalation created a volatile standoff with no clear end in sight.