1/ I know it's Coronavirus 24/7, but Americans were killed yesterday in Iraq, and it's time we started talking about how exposed our forces are today in the Middle East.
Trump's seat-of-the-pants deployment of 17,000 new troops to the region was a mistake.
Here's why:
Trump's seat-of-the-pants deployment of 17,000 new troops to the region was a mistake.
Here's why:
2/ Trump ran on pulling the U.S. out of Middle East wars. He has done the opposite. As part of his non-strategic campaign of escalation with Iran, he's sent 17,000 new troops to the region.
But those troops didn't deter Iran. They (and our existing forces) just became a target.
But those troops didn't deter Iran. They (and our existing forces) just became a target.
3/ Our soldiers are spread all over the Middle East today (Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE), in a way that makes it nearly impossible to do force protection.
In many places, our troops are like sitting ducks.
In many places, our troops are like sitting ducks.
4/ For example, at Al Asad base in northern Iraq, where the January missile attacks occurred, we have no Patriot missile system, which could have repelled the attack.
The blind escalation with Iran put these troops at risk, with no way to adequately protect them.
The blind escalation with Iran put these troops at risk, with no way to adequately protect them.
5/ Yesterday's attack showed that Iran (or Iran's proxies) are not scared off by Trump's massive troop deployments.
Bottom line: we shouldn't put troops into the Middle East until we have a plan to protect them.
Bottom line: we shouldn't put troops into the Middle East until we have a plan to protect them.
