According to official channels, growing US military buildups in the Middle East throughout April and May have been a response to Iran’s army being at a high stage of readiness. Now, Iran continues at a high point of readiness with all those additional U.S. troops in the region.
This is a challenge for the US to analyze now, as it makes sense for this middle eastern country to be at a high level of readiness after months of escalation and threats from the US, and officials are trying to figure out whether this is just the new normal.
General Frank McKenzie, the region’s top U.S. commander, continues to hype Iran as an “imminent threat.” Gen. McKenzie performed the threat on Thursday and used nearly the same remarks on Saturday, claiming that Iran’s threat has “developed in some respects.”
On the other side, the situation was downplayed by Rear Admiral John Wade, commander of the carrier strike group of the USS Lincoln. Rear Adm. Wade claims all interactions with Iran were “secure and professional,” and the Islamic Republic did nothing to hinder the maneuverability of the strike group.
This indicates that the Pentagon is at least somewhat divided on the subject, and the rear admiral is speaking about a position of relative normality, even as Gen. McKenzie, probably aware that there is a “danger” to national military funding, continues to see a threat evolving, but otherwise intact.
