President Donald Trump was warned just days before the war with Iran began that the conflict could produce an even more hardline regime in Tehran, close the Strait of Hormuz and trigger attacks on American forces and allies across the Middle East, according to a new Wall Street Journal report.
Tulsi Gabbard, who was serving as U.S. director of national intelligence at the time, reportedly delivered the warning to Trump shortly before the fighting began on February 28.
According to the report, Gabbard cautioned that killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei could backfire by paving the way for a more radical government — one that could be even more determined to develop nuclear weapons.
Gabbard also reportedly predicted that Iran would respond to a war by shutting the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz and launching attacks against U.S. military personnel and American allies throughout the region.
The Journal reported that Gabbard was not alone in raising concerns. A number of senior administration officials, including the vice president, reportedly warned Trump about the potentially serious consequences of entering a war with Iran. Trump ultimately moved forward after senior Pentagon officials persuaded him that overwhelming U.S. military power would carry the day, according to the report.
As the conflict continued, Trump reportedly wrestled with whether to intensify the American campaign. In April, according to the Journal, he asked a friend whether he should escalate the fighting and “bomb the [essence]” out of Iran. The friend advised Trump not to do so and instead encouraged him to bring the war to an end.
The report describes Trump as repeatedly frustrated by the Iranian regime’s ability to withstand the military campaign. At various points during the war, the president sought a diplomatic path that could provide a way out of the conflict, but those efforts have thus far yielded little progress.
Gabbard ultimately resigned as director of national intelligence in May, roughly three months after the war began, publicly attributing her departure to her husband’s poor health.
However, a source familiar with the circumstances later told Reuters that Gabbard had been pushed out by the White House because she continued to oppose the war with Iran.
{Matzav.com}
