Pentagon presents Trump with options for short, intense campaign against Iran after midterm elections
According to Fox Business, a retired Marine general argues that the president acted correctly and says that the diplomatic route, although preferable, is not moving forward.
BY THE X-TRADER NEWS NEWSROOM · REPORTING FROM FOX BUSINESS · 3 MIN
The United States is quietly strengthening its firepower in the Middle East, and the Pentagon has presented President Donald Trump with options for a short but intense campaign against Iran shortly after the midterm elections, according to Fox Business host John on America Reports.
To comment on the scenario, the channel heard from retired Marine general Arnold Punaro, CEO of Pinaro Group (spelling according to the transcription). In his assessment, Trump "was absolutely correct" in acting to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons or long-range missiles capable of reaching American territory.
Diplomacy without advancement
The presenter cited information that Qatar, or at least authorities in Iran, are trying to promote a peace agreement between Washington and Tehran. Punaro stated that diplomacy is always the best option and said that Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is working on the issue in Qatar.
Even so, the general was skeptical. According to him, Iran shows who it is by its actions, not by its words: it continues to attack ships in the strait and maintains terrorist plans against Saudi Arabia, in addition to trying to rebuild its nuclear program. "That diplomatic option doesn't seem to be in the cards," he said.
The worst-case scenario, in Punaro's view, would be a prolonged stalemate, dragged out by negotiations, while the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) resupplies, rebuilds and restarts the nuclear program.
Navy and the strait
The program showed images of Iranian vessels linked to the so-called shadow fleet, deactivated or sunk by the American Navy. The commander of the Central Command (CENTCOM), who was in the region, stated that he flew over the strait and saw dozens of commercial ships in transit, carrying cargo, oil and liquefied natural gas, with no sign of the Revolutionary Guard. He also said the US helped Gulf partners export 15.5 billion barrels of oil, a milestone for the week (amount as per transcript).
For the presenter, the data indicates that Iran has little leverage in negotiations and contradicts the narrative, disseminated in the Western press, that Tehran would be in a strong position. Punaro praised the military: Iran is degraded but not defeated.
What to watch out for
According to the general, Admiral Cooper, theater commander, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff personally presented Trump with the range of options, with pros and cons. It is now up to the president to decide whether to follow the diplomatic route or resume military actions, which would include strategic objectives and tactical targets, including command and control of the Revolutionary Guard.
For the market, the episode keeps the geopolitical risk on the radar, especially due to the flow of oil and gas through the strait, a central theme in the CENTCOM commander's presentation. The transcript does not include price, interest or exchange rate projections, and any effect on stock markets, the dollar and oil will depend on the direction of the decision in Washington.
Automatically translated from Portuguese.
