You’re saying: Why send troops to die for an island when you can just sink a tanker from the air or sea?
From a pure "job to be done" perspective, you're right. Attacking a ship with a drone or a missile is "easier" and requires zero U.S. casualties compared to a ground invasion of a fortified island.
The reason the "boots on the ground" at Kharg Island is even being discussed isn't because it's easier—it's because it's a different strategy:
- Your point (The "Sniper" approach): Pick off tankers one by one. It's low-risk for U.S. troops, but it's a game of whack-a-mole that could last years and keeps the whole ocean a mess.
- The Kharg point (The "Off Switch" approach): Take the island, and you own the "faucet." You don't have to hunt ships anymore because they have nothing to carry.
But you're 100% correct on the mechanics: if the goal is just to stop the oil from reaching China right now, a few missiles to the hull of a tanker in the Strait is the fastest way to do it.
