Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, told Rep. Seth Moulton that Moulton made an entirely inappropriate statement during a heated House Armed Services Committee hearing. Moulton questioned whether the United States was losing the conflict and asked how many more Americans would be asked to die for a mistake. He pressed Cooper for a plan to win, citing unresolved issues including Iran restricting commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Moulton noted the absence of a nuclear deal and the president’s call for unconditional surrender. Cooper appeared frustrated and often avoided direct answers, saying civilian Defense Department leaders set policy while he provides military options.
"Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, told Rep. Seth Moulton (Massachusetts) that he had made an "entirely inappropriate statement" during a testy exchange in a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee. It occurred as President Donald Trump contemplates ending the war's weeks-long ceasefire and resuming military strikes on Iran."
""What's the plan now to actually win this war? Because it feels like we're losing," asked Moulton, who served in combat in Iraq. "We don't have a nuclear deal. We don't have the strait open. The president has called for unconditional surrender. Is that part of the plan?""
"Moulton, a Marine Corps veteran campaigning for a Senate seat, asked Cooper if he was familiar with Gen. William Westmoreland, the Vietnam-era commander who famously downplayed the challenges of that conflict. He also pressed the admiral to account for several unresolved problems, including Iran's stifling of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passageway for the movement of Middle Eastern oil and other goods through the Persian Gulf."
"The admiral dodged answering questions directly on several occasions, saying that the Defense Department's civilian leaders make policy decisions whereas he presents them with military options. A spokesman for Cooper declined to comment about his exchange with Moulton. The congressman doubled down on his remarks after the hearing, saying in a statement to The Washington Post, "The""
#us-iran-conflict #house-armed-services-committee #central-command #strait-of-hormuz #defense-policy
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