(06-21-2019, 08:50 AM)mikesez Wrote: According to the New York Times, Trump held an informal meeting with the press in the Oval Office where he said that he believed the Iranians shot a US drone down by mistake, maybe one overzealous soldier operating the launcher there.

But about an hour later, after dismissing reporters, Trump had apparently ordered airstrikes against Iran involving both manned aircraft and cruise missiles.  They would have hit Iran a few hours before dawn their time.

Then a few minutes after that, Trump called the whole thing off.

This all makes me nauseous. We won't know the real story for a few years, if ever.  Was Trump deliberately trying to create some theater or is he truly being indecisive?

You need to lay off the Clancy novels and whatever other fictional war novels you prefer. The real world doesn't operate like that.

This process happens quite often. In basic form without all the military lingo, the military operates on their own spectrum and based on a goal that is disseminated. Combatant Commanders have complete freedom of operation from the administration side. If the risk does not support the targeting, it will get called off and they will advise up. The problem with having all these publicized meetings or dog and pony shows are that the information spreads like wildfire and targets of opportunity get moved and hidden. Not to say that the mobile SAM launcher wasn't moved within 15 minutes anyway.

You also must weigh the risk of shutting down the Strait, which is actually what Iran wants. They also want the international community to believe we are the instigator. We aren't going to give them that unless there is no other way out. I can assure you that there is a heavy strike plan in place, and further assets are most likely being redirected (mine clearing and ship reclamation). We have enough capability in the area do damage many times over but strikes have wide-ranging consequences that have to be planned for. 

Stop with the Trump this or Trump that. You'd whine if there was a strike and you're whining now that there isn't.

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(06-21-2019, 09:35 AM)rollerjag Wrote:

(06-21-2019, 09:07 AM)flsprtsgod Wrote: If this is making you nauseous you should really unplug for a while. From their own article:

It was not clear whether Mr. Trump simply changed his mind on the strikes or whether the administration altered course because of logistics or strategy. It was also not clear whether the attacks might still go forward.

That you give such credence to an organization dedicated to presenting Trump in the worst light possible just feeds your mania.

The NYT and Fox News are reporting the same thing.

It's hard to report facts that present Trump in a good light.

You wouldn't know good or positive light even if it slapped you hard enough to unbury that dome of yours.

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