In A 2002 War Scenario The U.S. Loses Against Iran

U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, charge onto an MV-22 Osprey during an aerial assault exercise on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Dec. 5, 2019. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob Wilson

Popular Mechanics: The U.S. Lost a (Fictional) War With Iran 18 Years Ago

Millennium Challenge 2002 was a military exercise that reminded the U.S. military that the enemy doesn't always do what you want it to do.

* In 2002, the Pentagon ran a free-form exercise code-named Millennium Challenge.
* The exercise was designed to test U.S. tactics against a modern foe based on Iran.
* The “Red Team,” led by a retired Marine Corps general, repeatedly beat U.S. forces by using unorthodox tactics.

As the world reacts to the U.S. military’s killing of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, many experts are predicting Iran will treat the incident as an act of war. In 2002 the Pentagon ran an expensive wargame designed to simulate what a war with Iran would be like—and the U.S. lost heavily.

The exercise was a reminder that opponents like Iran will eke out any possible advantage they can against larger, more heavily armed U.S. forces, and that assuming enemy forces will do what U.S. forces think they will—and not what will give them the best advantage—is a serious mistake.

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WNU Editor:  Millennium Challenge 2002 was an exercise that was done almost 18 years ago. Let's hope that the Pentagon has learned something since then.