President Donald Trump proclaimed earlier this month that he wasn’t going to war with Iran. Then, in less than a fortnight, Trump is now sending some 1,500 troops to the Middle East after a series of barroom-style confrontations about who can end what and when.
On Friday, it was announced that the deployment of troops was absolutely happening but that it was only to provide protection for existing troops in the Middle East amid heightened tensions with Tehran.
From the Hill:
The president approved the additional forces on Thursday following a meeting with acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford at the White House.
“We want to have protection,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
In addition to troops, the Pentagon said it will also send a Patriot anti-missile battalion to defend against missile threats, additional intelligence and reconnaissance aircraft, engineers, as well as a fighter aircraft squadron “to provide additional deterrence and depth to our aviation response options.”
Shanahan said that the request for more forces and equipment had come from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and that he had informed Congress of the deployment, saying it was meant to “improve our force protection and safeguard U.S. forces given the ongoing threat posed by Iranian forces, including the IRGC and its proxies.”
The move is considered “a prudent defensive measure and intended to reduce the possibility of future hostilities,” the Pentagon chief said in a statement. “I remain committed to ensuring U.S. personnel have the force protection resources they need and deserve.”
Because the president takes all of his beefs to the tweet streets, Trump tweeted last year in all caps (which means he’s Twitter serious) for the Iranian president never to threaten the United States.
To which the Iranian president noted, “At me next time, bitch.”
Just days ago, Trump tweeted that he would end Iran if they keep bumping their gums.
Many, both inside and outside of the White House, believe that a potential war with Iran is the direct result of National Security Adviser John “Ramsay” Bolton, a.k.a “Reek.” According to New York Mag’s Daily Intelligencer, Reek has been running a one-man wrecking crew who doesn’t consult with anyone.
“He’s hosted fewer ‘principals meetings’ involving high-level Cabinet officials and has pursued shorter, more informal briefs with the president and his staff,” the Daily Intelligencer reports. But he also acts as if he’s Rick James’ boots and treats Secretary of State Mike Pompeo like Charlie Murphy’s couch. He frequently leaves Pompeo out of the loop and doesn’t bother to brief the president on decisions he’s made.
Trump was reportedly cautious of getting into a war with Iran only because he promised his voters that he would keep America out of wars and work towards bringing troops home. But Trump voters forgot one fundamental truth that they should never forget: Trump is a liar.
“This escalation doesn’t get us out of our decades-long, seemingly endless wars Mr. President,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) wrote on Twitter. “Trust your instincts and follow what you ran on, not the neocons around who want to repeat past mistakes.”
I also think this can’t be overstated but the man at the helm of a potential war with Iran has trouble with spelling and reads with his finger.