US President Donald Trump has vehemently refuted claims and media reports stating that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Daniel Caine, has warned of the potential perils of a US-Iran war, including a prolonged conflict and the possibility of American casualties.
“He knows only one thing, that is how to WIN. If he is told to do so, he will be leading the pack,” Trump took to social media to clarify after a news story by The Washington Post suggested that Caine was not in favour of the war, and had voiced his concerns in a meeting with Trump. The newspaper reported that Cain, in a meeting with Trump last week, raised several important points, including that the lack of critical munitions and support from regional allies could hinder US efforts to contain a possible Iranian retaliation.
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The report suggested that the munitions stockpiles, including the ones used in missile defence systems, have already been stretched thin by their use in support of allies, Israel and Ukraine included. The Washington Post quoted a person familiar with the “internal discussion” who said that Caine has also raised concerns about the scale of any Iran campaign. “He (Cain) spoke about its inherent complexity and the possibility of US casualties.”
Caine's office responded to the Washington Post report by saying that he is tasked with providing “a range of military options, as well as secondary considerations and associated impacts and risks, to the civilian leaders who make America's security decisions.”
Trump, however, went into overdrive and lashed the reports by “fake news media”. He took to his own social media platform, Truth Social, and said that the story was “100% incorrect”.
“Numerous stories from the fake news media have been circulating stating that General Daniel Caine, sometimes referred to as Razin, is against us going to war with Iran. The story does not attribute this vast wealth of knowledge to anyone, and is 100% incorrect,” Trump wrote.
He further said that, “General Caine, like all of us, will not like to see a war, but if a decision is made on going against Iran on a military level, it is his opinion thatit will be something easily won.”
The US president said that Caine knows Iran well, and was in charge of “Midnight Hammer”, the attack on the Iranian Nuclear development. “Razin Caine is a Great Fighter, and represents the most powerful military anywhere in the world,” Trump wrote.
A lot is being said and written about the situation as the escalation between Tehran and Washington looks imminent with every passing day. The two countries will be going to talks in Geneva on February 26.
Trump, however, has been talking in terms of military action. He has given Iran 10 to 15 days to agree to a nuclear deal, or the consequences will be “unfortunate” for the country.
Iran is, on the other hand, not taking the aggression lightly. Tehran has retorted and said any strikes by the US, including limited strikes, will be considered as an “act of aggression” On Monday, the ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei siad that any state would react to an act of aggression as part of its inherent right to self-defence ferociously. “So that's what we would do,” he said at a briefing in Tehran, the AFP reported.
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