My guess: he’s trying to provoke Iran into a response which will justify a “war” which he needs —as legal justification for his crackdowns on immigrants and opponents.
He has managed to gut the military command structure to the point that many second-tier career officers (Majors down to Sergeants) have more actual combat, planning, and logistics experience that his cabinet and appointed "top brass." I am not a veteran; however, I am an educated person, and I think about what is going on in the world around me. I am just shy of 86 and I have lived through some of the disastrous conflicts that the USA has inserted itself into. This continuing action in Yemen and the Gulf is a prelude to another unwinnable conflict that will cost us blood, money, and what little prestige we have left in the world. I pray I am wrong, completely wrong ...
I'm wondering about the suggestions to"target leadership with surgical precision, leverage regional proxies to sustain pressure" is supposed to look like. I'm reading a lot about what should not be done, but not much about useful tactics. Houthis have been a scourge for international shipping and have support from Iran. After Saudi Arabia apparently failed in its "leverage" what exactly are "regional proxies"? Would decimating the Houthis military hardware and blockading shipments from Iran be considered "surgical"?
Wow! Now THIS was a tutorial! Thank you, Mr O’Neill for setting this out so succinctly.
My guess: he’s trying to provoke Iran into a response which will justify a “war” which he needs —as legal justification for his crackdowns on immigrants and opponents.
I agree 100%.
Trump is the epitome of "Ready, Fire, Aim!"
He has managed to gut the military command structure to the point that many second-tier career officers (Majors down to Sergeants) have more actual combat, planning, and logistics experience that his cabinet and appointed "top brass." I am not a veteran; however, I am an educated person, and I think about what is going on in the world around me. I am just shy of 86 and I have lived through some of the disastrous conflicts that the USA has inserted itself into. This continuing action in Yemen and the Gulf is a prelude to another unwinnable conflict that will cost us blood, money, and what little prestige we have left in the world. I pray I am wrong, completely wrong ...
"trump never started a war" - I'm sure it's on his bucket list, just didn't get around to it until now.
I'm wondering about the suggestions to"target leadership with surgical precision, leverage regional proxies to sustain pressure" is supposed to look like. I'm reading a lot about what should not be done, but not much about useful tactics. Houthis have been a scourge for international shipping and have support from Iran. After Saudi Arabia apparently failed in its "leverage" what exactly are "regional proxies"? Would decimating the Houthis military hardware and blockading shipments from Iran be considered "surgical"?
Patience and precision is not FFOTUS’s strong suit.
OMG!