Nahh, must be his good twin brother. On the other hand, for what he did, he had best keep his d*mn mouth shut. He screwed up. Or rather, he had his people screw up. Either way, there’s a mess, and staying tight-lipped is the best thing he could do at this point. Idiot. With gratitude to Raw Story:
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth became evasive during an interview with CBS that aired Sunday when asked about the deadly strike on an Iranian elementary school last week that killed at least 168 children and 14 teachers, a strike that several analyses suggest was carried out by the Trump administration. The strike, which was carried out earlier this month, coincided with the Trump administration’s unprecedented attack on Iran, with Reuters, CNN and The New York Times all reporting that the strike was likely carried out by U.S. forces.
Good one. Killing children. Well done, sir! He’d best be keeping his mouth shut about that. That was a *major* eff up and is going to anger a whole lot of people. You don’t kill civilians if at all possible. And children? That makes it worse. It would be nice if someone could slap some sense into him. He’s angering a lot of people with all his baloney, and this is making it worse. Why doesn’t he go out there with the troops and see what *real* warfare is like? Maybe then he’d be more careful …. nope, not happening.
When asked about the strike and whether it came from the United States, Hegseth pivoted to attacking Iranian leadership. “Well, we’re still investigating, and that’s where I’ll leave it today,” Hegseth said. “But what I will emphasize to you and to the world is that, unlike our adversaries – the Iranians – we never target civilians.” Hegseth was asked again about the strikes, and this time with references to reports that suggested the strike was carried out by the United States. “I’ve already said, we’re investigating,” Hegseth said.
Uh huh. Who wants to bet he already knows? There’s no bet to be made. He knows. Now he’s trying to figure out how to cover his arse and come up with some sort of statement that will smooth things over. Since he came from Fox News, all he knows how to do is bluster and lie. He’s been caught flat-footed by this mistake, and it’s already started costing him. If it would only cost him out of a job. Wishful thinking.
Again, Hegseth was pressed on the matter, only this time asked if he would tell the American people if he could definitively say the strike was not carried out by the United States. “I would… I’d… would say it’s being investigated, which is the only answer I’m prepared to give,” Hegseth said.
Petey Boy most certainly is dodging the question there. We don’t know who made the fatal mistake, and he knows it will reflect on him. He’d better get the Vaseline ready, because he’s going to need to slide out of it. I’m not sure it’s possible. Who knows what might happen next?
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The only rational response to a catastrophe like this: “We apologize profoundly for this tragic accident. We will hold accountable the individuals responsible and do our best to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again. We offer our condolences to the families of these children, and we will consult with them and with concerned international agencies to arrange suitable compensation.”
Hegseth’s response: “Uhh, we’re investigating. But we will continue to rain death and destruction from the skies without any feeble rules of engagement.”
Sadistic clowns without souls. That’s who runs our government now. And Jesus wept…
Well, the only problem with that “We will hold accountable the individuals responsible” point is that the REAL “individuals responsible” are Drumpf and Kegsbreath and they damn well ain’t gonna hold themselves accountable. They’ll find some poor low-ranking soldier or sailor to blame and subject them to court-martial proceedings and they’ll spend the next 20 years at hard labor while Drumpf and Kegsbeath continue their fake “warrior” nonsense.
As for the “condolences,” that’s pretty much in line with the standard “tots and pears” offered after every school/mass shooting. Lots of pretty words but nothing of any substance to help those who lost loved ones to Drumpf’s mad war-mongering.
Well said!
Yea I’m pretty worried about who is going to get blamed, because we all know that’s going to be some bullshit.
However tots and pears made me laugh. Thank you.
I still feel Hegseth already knew before the “ums” and “ers”. I keep looking for a better word than disgusting, but so far, no go.
Munitions, even precision guided ones don’t always hit where they were intended to hit. I could write a loooooooooong article about how/why but let’s just leave it at that. Sometimes the explosion doesn’t happen where it was supposed to and when targeted a spot in a built up area in particular tragic results happen. It’s always been that way, and no matter how much technology advances it always will be.
That’s one of many reasons why war/use of military force should always be a LAST resort. Not a first, or even ‘early’ one. This isn’t the strike on the nuclear sites last year – an attack on multiple targets hidden away in places the public is largely restricted from. No, what’s going on is a war. So fair it’s an aerial ware but war nonetheless. I’ve said more times than I can remember that WAR should only happen when it’s the least shitty of only shitty options.
That hasn’t been the case here. Even before that last round of negotiations an agreement had been reached on Iran’s nuclear program. Uranium enrichment would be limited to a level consistent with medical needs. Any country that has modern medicine has a need for a small amount of nuclear material. Small is the operative word here but since it has to be enriched to a certain degree it gives folks who don’t understand nuclear stuff the heebie jeebies. What had been worked out was remarkably similar to the deal we and other countries made with Iran (with which Iran was complying and full access was granted to the IAE inspectors to keep watch) and even reduced by a small bit the amount of uranium enrichment Iran could do! That in and of itself was huge. A win and for once it was something positive Team Trump could point to.
Of course, some knew (and told Trump) that it would be pointed out how similar it was to the deal he tore up but like I said they got even LESS allowance for uranium enrichment in this one. That’s something Trump could have and surely would have bragged about. Everyone but MAGAs would have rolled their eyes over his grandiose exaggerations but in the grand scheme of things who gives a shit?
There were still a couple of other issues that have been sticking points between Iran and other countries. The big one is missile capability and ballistic missiles in particular. Like any country Iran claims a right to develop such things at least for defensive purposes. That’s a complicated subject to be sure, especially when the ability is there to be able to secretly or even openly conduct work that would allow for longer ranges stuff than needed for purely defensive purposes. Especially difficult is the issue of being able to strike far enough beyond one’s borders to maintain a “Deterrent” capability. Iran isn’t exactly a country that any sensible person or government can easily trust!
However a general framework had been agreed to on these other matters to and another round of discusssions was set to try and finalize them. The various sides of course had to present the proposals to their own governments and Iran’s negotiating team went home so its leadership could meet and be walked through what had been agreed to. Then decide whether to accept it or try for some adjustments.
Then we attacked and we attacked the place where intelligence (not just our own) was where such discussions would take place. There’s a serious accusation out there that Kushner and Witkoff only put a fair proposal on the table so that Iran’s leadership would meet to discuss it – all (or most) of them in one place at a time that could be pinpointed and vulnerable to a so-called decapitation strike. Since taking out a government that way is a war crime that’s a serious accusation. Knowing the players involved on our side I wouldn’t be surprised if in time pretty good evidence is developed we sucker-punched Iran.
THAT will do damage to our standing in the world that can’t be measured. It also makes the world a more dangerous place because WE will have set a new, uglier standard for what a country can get away with acting in bad faith.
Thank you, Denis. This was a HUGE help.