Bombers and bootlickers

Another reason why supporting Trump's use of the military is stupid

In my piece where I said it’s stupid to have supported Trump’s bombing of Iran, I failed to mention those people in his administration who are responsible for carrying out his orders as Commanders in Chief. First among them is Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a man who every rational person knows is unfit for the job in terms of his experience, his competence, his character, and almost certainly his sobriety.

Here he is at his press conference on the morning of June 26 where he discussed the attack, mainly berating the press for being too much about the news and not enough about parroting Trump’s jingoistic and bellicose propaganda. Listen to this short clip, which Hegseth literally read from a prepared statement. I provide the transcript as well (with a few stutters cleaned up).

“Let me read the bottom line here [hah!]. President Trump directed the most complex and secretive military operation in history [!] and it was a resounding success resulting in a ceasefire agreement and the end of the Twelve Day War.”

First, “President Trump directed” is downright comical. The idea that this President directed a military action outside of giving the order is “Emperor’s new clothes” on an unprecedented level (until it’s repeated tomorrow). Then, Hegseth referring to the “Twelve Day War” moniker that Trump wants to add to his narcissist’s legacy is pure sycophancy. It’s puerile, anti-intellectual, idiotic, immature. Take your pick.

Whether the mission was a “resounding success” remains unanswered — assuming that there was ever a rational, meaningful objective, which obviously there was not and is not. Trump is already looking to “bring Iran to the negotiating table,” where Obama had already brought them in halting Iran’s nuclear program — until Trump revitalized it and precipitated our current crisis. Again, supporting Trump was always stupid.

But then there’s the real doozy: “the most complex and secretive military operation in history.” I mean, come on, people. We sent some stealth bombers with some really big bombs into airspace that was pretty wide open, and they dropped their bombs where they were supposed to be dropped. It was “historic” only because it was the first time those particular GBU-57 bunker buster bombs had been used in combat. One day it might rate mention somewhere.

But when you consider military history, that assertion is so wrong, so irrational, so insulting to anyone’s intelligence that it serves to highlight the terrifying extent to which Trump’s staff will bend over and take it from behind — all in blind deference to His Majesty.

My god, when you consider just the D-Day invasion by comparison…