Let's talk about Trump, Iran, mines, and questions.... - Belle of the Ranch

[TexasTowelie]

Well, howdy there Internet people. It's Belle again. So, today we're going to talk about Trump, Iran, mines, and questions.

As it appears like Trump is desperately searching for an off-ramp to his elective conflict that still has ever shifting goals and justifications, he's starting to be confronted with all of the reasons even the administrations that were incredibly enthusiastic about military adventurism didn't go after Iran.

The mass of troops needed for ground operations, the multiple parallel government structures, which is what led to Iran being referred to as three governments in a trench coat here on the channel. Iran's ability to hit targets across the region and create US casualties, which including killed and wounded is somewhere in the neighborhood of 150, and the strategic position of the country near the Strait of Hormuz are all beginning to strain what Trump undoubtedly saw as an easy operation.

Reporting broke that Iran has dropped some mines in the strait and Trump posted to social media, "If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed immediately. If for any reason mines were placed and they are not removed fort with the military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before. If on the other hand they remove what may have been placed. It will be a giant step in the right direction.”

He then went on to say the US was using high-tech means of surveillance on the strait and told them to stop. But since his message is based on if Iran has dropped some mines, Iran is unlikely to believe his boast. Because according to the post, the President of the United States isn't even sure if mines were deployed which means CNN has better sourcing than the US and Iran. Even just a handful of mines in the strait will deter shipping and create supply issues.

Okay, now we're moving on to a question that will probably become hotly debated. “Belle, did Trump really decommission our Middle Eastern based mine sweepers?” Yes and no and yes. In September, the US decommissioned the last mine sweeper it had in the region. So yes, but then no, because decisions about decommissioning are made years in advance. So just because it happened under him doesn't necessarily mean it was his fault.

The decommissioning was planned as part of the Navy's 30-year ship building plan which was announced under the first Trump administration in 2020. So the short version too late is the media is getting the story wrong by oversimplifying and just blaming the guy in office. However, in this case, when you track it back to when the decision was made, it's actually still Trump. Given that there are indications that Trump was aware of the possibility of his current Iran war before the last decommissioning, it probably would have been wise to adjust timelines or move assets to the region during the buildup, especially since naval strategists warned about this possibility.

Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.