Let's talk about American troops saying Hegseth isn't telling the truth.... - Belle of the Ranch

Well, howdy there Internet people. It's Belle again. So, today we're going to talk about American troops saying Hegseth isn't telling the truth.

In a moment that may end up being the start of a trend, US troops who were involved in Trump's campaign in Iran are suggesting that the administration isn't being entirely accurate when telling the public what's transpiring overseas. It's going to create another uncomfortable moment for those who claim they support the troops while defending the actions of an administration that's putting them in harm's way. Despite rules about how active duty can engage with the media, US service members are starting to talk to the press about the administration's rosy picture of the fighting.

Some of those talking are survivors of the deadliest Iranian attack on US forces during the war. The unit was in Kuwait when they were hit. Six were lost and 20 were wounded. They're saying they were left dangerously unprepared and undefended.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's description of the event categorized the drone as a squirter or something that just managed to make it through US air defenses. According to one of the soldiers who was wounded in the attack, “painting a picture that one squeaked through is a falsehood.”

I want to stop here and point out that we recently talked about the safety briefings soldiers get on the weekends. Stay out of the hospital, the newspaper, and jail is part of it. Soldiers talking to the press isn't a common occurrence. Talking to the press and saying that SecDef is misleading the American public is even more rare. It's something that should be paid attention to.

The service member went on to say they wanted the public to know that the base “was unprepared to provide any defense for itself. It was not a fortified position.”

We covered how the US was deploying Patriot and THAAD missile systems long before Trump started the war. The administration was absolutely aware of the inevitable Iranian counterattack. Leaving a nearby target undefended is a big deal. But it actually gets worse.

According to the reports, while DoD was moving some troops out of the area to mitigate risk, the group that was hit was ordered to leave their base to go to a small outpost that had not been updated to counter drones. The buildings were just wood and tin with some reinforced concrete tea walls. They look like concrete barriers on the interstate. They're great for protection against mortars. They don't do anything to protect from overhead drones.

A soldier told the press, "We moved closer to Iran to a deeply unsafe area that was a known target. I don't think there was a good reason ever articulated.

A member of the Army's 103rd Sustainment Command said that those on the ground responded well under fire and that their families should be proud and said, "I don't think that the security environment or any leadership decision diminishes in any way their sacrifice or their service."

The leadership decisions in question go beyond leaving the installation undefended and ordering troops closer to enemy fire. On the day of the strike, troops were reportedly told about the possibility of incoming. They went to a bunker. But around 9:15 a.m. an all clear was called. The troops left the bunker, went back to work without their helmets, and were struck about 30 minutes later.

The soldier also provided a description of the scene after the strikes. The injuries weren't light. It's important to remember that during Trump's first term, Trump downplayed injuries and categorized traumatic brain injuries as headaches.

For those cheerleading the string of bad decisions the administration has made under the guise of supporting the troops. It might be time to evaluate whether you want to support the troops or the establishment billionaire. The troops themselves are telling you the administration isn't making the best decisions.

Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.