Does the US Have a Clear Strategy?
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“The United States is [sending] a message to the Iranian regime that any attack on US interests or on those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force. The US is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces.”
— NSA John Bolton announcing the deployment of a carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf, May 5, 2019
“Our aim is not war. Our aim is a change in the behavior of the
Iranian leadership.” — Secretary of State Pompeo, May 12, 2019
“President Trump has sought to put the brakes on a brewing confrontation with Iran in recent days, telling the acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, that he does not want to go to war with Iran, administration officials said, while his senior diplomats began searching for ways to defuse the
tensions.”
— New York Times, May 16, 2019
“The Fake News Media is hurting our Country with its fraudulent and highly inaccurate coverage of Iran. It is scattershot, poorly sourced (made up), and DANGEROUS. At least Iran doesn’t know what to think, which at this point may
very well be a good thing!” — President Trump, May 17, 2019
“Will the president let himself be pushed into a parlous war by John Bolton, who once buoyed the phony case on WMDs 1n Iraq?” — Maureen Dowd, New York Times, May 18, 2019
Source: Investment Strategy Group, Twitter, New York Times, Politico.
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