Today’s rare #Pentagon #news conference is the first in several months
As #Defense Secretary Pete #Hegseth & #JointChiefs Chair Gen #DanCaine brief reporters today, it is not only mark the first time top members of the #Trump admin speak publicly about “Operation Epic Fury,” but also the first time officials have spoken formally on camera at the Pentagon in several months.
The last #Pentagon press briefing was exactly 3 months ago, on December 2, when Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson fielded questions from a select group of primarily right-wing reporters whose outlets agreed to the Pentagon’s new press policy, which severely limits press access.
#Hegseth & #Caine haven’t held a news conference at the Pentagon since last June, when the officials detailed previous #US strikes against #Iran on 3 key #nuclear facilities.
In January, the 2 officials spoke alongside #Trump & Secretary of State #MarcoRubio following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás #Maduro, but that news conference took place at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.
The number of news conferences thus far is well below prior admins, which regularly addressed questions from the press.
#Trump gave the #Iran operation order on Friday afternoon, Gen #Caine says
General #DanCaine offered a detailed timeline of the operation, including the message CENTCOM received from Trump as he gave the final go-ahead.
“At 15:38, 3:38pm, on Friday, February 27, the United States Central Command, through the Secretary of War, received the final go from President Trump,” Caine said.
“The president directed, & I quote, ‘Operation Epic Fury is approved. No aborts. Good luck. Close.’”
That timeline would put #Trump aboard Air Force One, en route to Texas, when he delivered the order. Trump landed in Corpus Christi, Texas, at 3:50 p.m. ET.
In his speech later that day, Trump suggested his mind wasn’t fully made up.
“We have a big decision to make,” he told a crowd in Corpus Christi, where he was promoting his energy agenda. He said the decision was “not easy,” & said Iran had long been engaged in malign behavior.
The Chair of the #JointChiefs of Staff Gen #DanCaine said the #US #war against #Iran would not consist of a “single, overnight operation” & added that more US #casualties should be expected.
“This is not a single, overnight operation,” Caine said at the #Pentagon Monday. “The #military objectives that #CENTCOM & the Joint Force have been tasked with will take some time to achieve, & in some cases, will be difficult & gritty work.”
“We expect to take additional losses, & as always, we will work to minimize US losses,” the general added.
4 American servicemembers have been killed since the #US & #Israel struck targets inside #Iran over the weekend.
#war #Trump #warmonger #RegimeChange #law #Congress #WarPowers #geopolitics #MiddleEast
#Defense Secy Pete #Hegseth said today the #war against #Iran is not comparable to the #Iraq War — adding the #US will not be caught in the same nation-building quagmire that it found itself in 2 decades ago.
“This is not Iraq,” Hegseth said from the #Pentagon. “This is not endless. I was there for both. Our generation knows better, & so does this president. He called the last 20 years of nation building wars dumb, & he’s right.”
“This is the opposite,” #Hegseth said. “This operation is a clear, devastating, decisive mission: Destroy the missile threat, destroy the Navy, no nukes.”
Hegseth said today that the #US strikes on #Iran is not meant to be “#RegimeChange,” while he acknowledged that the leadership in the country has changed.
“This is not a so-called regime change #war, but the regime sure did change & the world is better off for it,” Hegseth said.
#Trump has, however, pushed for #RegimeChange.
In his first comments following the strikes, he spoke directly to the Iranian people & said, “America is backing you with overwhelming strength & devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny & to unleash the prosperous & glorious future that is close within your reach.”
#Hegseth also argued that the #US didn’t start the #war, claiming #Iran has carried out attacks for decades in a “one-sided war against America.”
Even as he argued the #war wasn’t about #RegimeChange, #Defense Secy Pete #Hegseth called on Iranians to “take advantage” of the opportunity for regime change.
“We hope the Iranian people take advantage of this incredible opportunity,” Hegseth said at the #Pentagon. “President Trump has been clear, now is your time.”
“We saw many, many of the Iranian people seek a change there,” he added, referencing protests that swept #Iran earlier this year. “This is their moment to take advantage of it.”
But wait!
If you revolt before midnight tonight, we'll throw in the Kurdish region in Iraq at no extra charge!
Those guys have been a pain in our backside for years now. Anyway, all they've got is some goats. No oil, gas, or precious minerals.
You know we'll abandon any ally in a second, just to say we've made a deal!
So much winning! Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Nonilex
Sean Lynch