Posted on 01/07/2020 1:21:28 PM PST by jazusamo
Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Tuesday said that the United States is not looking to start a war with Iran but is “prepared to finish one.”
“The United States is not seeking a war with Iran but we are prepared to finish one. We are seeking a diplomatic solution, but first this will require Iran to deescalate, it will require the regime to come to the table with the goal of preventing further bloodshed,” Esper told reporters at the Pentagon.
“We are open to having this discussion with them but we are just as prepared to deliver a forceful response to defend our interests. . . . The architects of terror should know that we will not tolerate attacks against America’s people and interests and will exercise our right to self defense should that become necessary once again.”
Esper’s comments come after last week’s order from President Trump to launch a drone strike that killed top Iranian official Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the leader of the regime's elite Quds Force.
Trump administration officials have said strike against was meant to prevent an "imminent" attack in the region, but have provided no evidence.
Esper would not give details of such intelligence to reporters, and would only say that an attack from Soleimani was assessed at being “days away.”
“He was a legitimate target and his time was due,” Esper said.
The Pentagon chief also said U.S. forces would not withdraw from Iraq after Baghdad's parliament voted over the weekend to push American troops out of the country.
“To the best of my knowledge I haven’t seen any communication from [the Iraqi prime minister] or the Iraqi government about the legislation or about an order or a request to withdraw U.S. forces,” he said.
He said that since the strike on Soleimani he has spoken with commanders on the ground in the region “to ensure they have the resources they need to protect their people and prepare for any contingencies. As a result we’ve increased our force protection postures across the region and will continue to reposition and bolster our forces as necessary.”
RE: US not seeking war with Iran but prepared to ‘finish one’
That sounds like an acknowledgment that WE ALREADY ARE AT WAR.
Yep, I doubt much has changed since then.
I LIKED the wording!
“Trump defense chief: US not seeking war with Iran but prepared to ‘finish one’”
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Re SEMPER: TRUMP.45!/THE ONE AND ONLY!
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GunnyG@PLANERWTF?/WNW!
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Bump!
So far, deterrence is working famously.
Trump looking better. Ann Coulter mad about Soleimani.
We are at war with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and have been since 1979, The ayatollahs believe it with all their hearts and minds, and they lead their people to chant “Death to America!”
That the US has never responded with their answer to the unilateral declaration, makes the situation with Iran no less a war than was the so-called “Cold War” with the Soviet Union, which effectively ended with the collapse of the Communist government there, trapped by the immutable laws of economics, having spent themselves into penury trying to stay ahead of the US in military technology.
Like the old Soviet Union, the US could and should drive the economy of the Islamic Republic of Iran into the ground and put a stake through its heart.
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bump
Good! Annie can stay mad as hell as far as I’m concerned.
“ Trump looking better. Ann Coulter mad about Soleimani.”
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Yeh, who cares. She’s lost her relevance. And, is now just sad...
Trump defense chief: US not seeking war with Iran but prepared to ‘finish one’
Check my new tagline.
I like, very much! :^)
What is the Scrawny One mad about this time?
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