Where was the Pentagon brass in this disaster (Iran)? That's my question

[underpants]

I know we have civilian oversight and direction as we should.
I also know these Trump stooges don’t care about form, tradition, and reject convention as both a form of rebellion as well as upstaging/grandstanding.

Where was the second third and variables planning?
Where was curtailing operations by at least stalling?

There was no consideration of munitions inventory? (I do have questions about some of those reports).
There was no planning or consideration of the Strait of Hormuz (Sen. Chris Murphy)?
There was no evaluation of Irans weapons inventory and production capacity?

Not just militarily but this, as much as we are told it was planned and coordinated, is so incredibly badly planned I really can’t understand it.

Iran seems to be one of the worst countries to attack. It’s like a wasps nest.

Is it just fear of getting “fired”?
Was it just from the top? I think it’s clear Netanyahu got Trump to do this.
Was it just blow shit up?

I really can’t wrap my head around how this is this bad.

[yellow dahlia]

1. So many logical questions.

No answers.

[RockRaven]

2. I don't know who needs to hear it, but: this is what the US military is.

There is no secret stash of more qualified, more intelligent, more diligent officers stuffed into a broom closet somewhere who would do a better job if only we opened the door and let them out.

This Iran shit is YET ANOTHER example illustrating the point that Americans are fucking allergic to learning: you can't fix most problems by using military force. Military force is most effective unused as a tool of coercion and intimidation. Once you've started using it you've already lost.

[Skittles]

4. I have to ask if you are a veteran

just curious

[underpants]

9. Well said.

[Strelnikov_]

15. Absolutely

The most powerful military is the one that is never used.

[Skittles]

3. ONLY TRUMP BOOTLICKERS WERE CONSULTED

SERIOUSLY

[dgauss]

5. Yep. The same simple answer to so many questions about how

did so many things get so F'd up.

[leftieNanner]

6. This is why he fired all the top brass

At the beginning of the term. He got rid of the seasoned, smart, thoughtful officers and replaced them all with hegseths.

[underpants]

11. And/or people looking for the next rank. I think you nailed it.

I read in “Fiasco” by Thomas Ricks that the Pentagon brass saw Presidents as temps. They will be gone eventually and the DoD will still exist.

I put “fired” in quotes because I’m pretty sure (from my brief time in the Army) you can’t just fire someone from the military. This is more than “showing cause” (not in “Right to Work” states), there’s a procedural slow process to do that in the Army at least.

[cachukis]

7. They report to Hegseth, eh?

I bet a bunch were holding their breaths and waking up to a shitty breakfast.
These guys have already cleaned out so much brain power.
The brass is struggling to be the brass.
Not easy.

[underpants]

8. That is a good explanation in a situation where there is no explanation

To quote a song about another tragedy

And he can see no reasons
'Cause there are no reasons
What reason do you need to be shown?

[FascismIsDeath]

10. All the competent people were fired.

[leftstreet]

12. The Hollywood Military Propaganda Industry

Starting in the 80s after a spate of Vietnam war movies that reflected the antiwar sentiment and an appetite for realistic views of the military

They've put so much money and work into making the US military seem invincible, mighty, and a force for good...people have come to believe it

[DFW]

13. Maybe hanging out and partying at Dick Cheney's house on Kish?

Maybe no one warned them what the plans were?

[Johonny]

14. Theyve blow up everything theyve been asked

To blow up. I don't think they were exactly given a winning long term goal to achieve. It's hard to fault them for not achieving goals never created. But they've blown up a lot of shit as ordered.

[SomewhereInTheMiddle]

16. The Pentagon had plans ...

Last edited Thu Mar 12, 2026, 06:09 AM - Edit history (1)

They always have plans, very detailed ones with second and third order effects laid out with branches and sequels for every imaginable (and several not so imaginable - zombies, UFOs, and an invasion of Canada were some examples I've seen) conflicts. They have several gaming groups and planning staffs who spend 40-60 hours a week considering possibilities and responses. And they fill boxes of binders with these plans that are stored on shelves and drives in various places.

What I imagine happened is the someone from Hegseth's staff asked for some of those plans and were handed boxes of binders. They couldn't be bothered to read them but passed some sort of condensed version to the SECDEF. He couldn't be bothered to read it and had his staff boil it all down to one page which was carried to the Old Man. He didn't even glance at it and just said "Bomb them til they give up."

Detailed plans were made and ignored by the civilians in charge who couldn't be bothered to even read the plans so didn't know what they were missing. The plans couldn't be carried out without step-by-step approval and funding - mostly from those same civilian leaders that couldn't be bothered.

And the planning weenies get the blame.

I am not saying there are not bad or stupid people in the military. There are and I've met some. But planning is what they - as an institution - do. It's just that the best laid plans never survive first contact with the bureaucracy, much less the enemy.

[All of this based on my eight years of experience working with senior military leaders and planners and hearing how Rumsfeld & Co. did the same thing with their carefully crafted Iraq War plans back then. This from one of the guys that made the plans well before the war started.]

A tangential illustration of my point - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143630995

[underpants]

17. Thanks. Two very good reads.