'Hope is not a method': Retired general details what may be wrong with Trump's plan
Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling
Greatly influenced by the "America First" ideology of 1992 GOP presidential primary candidate Patrick Buchanan, President Donald Trump and his MAGA allies are often described as "isolationists." But on Saturday, June 21, the Iran/Israel conflict escalated when Trump expressed his support for Israel by launching some military strikes against Iran.
It remains to be seen how much Trump will increase the United States' involvement in the conflict, and Trump's supporters are having some intense debates over U.S. involvement. Fox News host Mark Levin favors aggressive U.S. invention in support of Israel, while MAGA's outspoken non-interventionists range from "War Room" host Steve Bannon to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
During a Monday, June 23 appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling addressed the burning question: What's next for the U.S. in the Iran/Israel conflict?
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The 71-year-old Hertling told a panel that included host Joe Scarborough, his colleague Jonathan Lemire, and British journalist Katty Kay — known for her extensive reporting for the BBC — "What I'd say is, in any kind of military action, you're looking at three things: the action, the reaction by the enemy, and then the counteraction…. You and Jonathan Lemire both pointed out, earlier this morning, that first of all, hope is not a method — I think you said that — in international relations. And the enemy gets a vote; Jonathan said that."
The military expert continued, "How much damage has been done? What will the Iranians do? What is the next thing we will do in terms of our counteractions? Those are all the things that the military considers and should be part of the planning. What I'm very concerned about is: it doesn't seem like this has been a long-term plan by the (Trump) Administration."
Retaliation against the U.S. from Iran, Hertling warned, could come in a variety of forms — from terrorist attacks and "sleeper cells" to cyberattacks.
"What we're seeing is the reaction phase from Iran," Hertling told the panel. "What will they do next? Will it be today, or will it be next week or next year?.... They have many options."
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