For weeks, the Trump administration has been preparing for two possible scenarios regarding Iran: on one hand, negotiations, and on the other, military deployment. However, according to sources, this balance was broken when the USS Ford aircraft carrier entered the Mediterranean on February 20th. The arrival of the carrier gave Trump access to the full range of military options he had long desired - a key factor in determining the timing of the strike. Trump had previously made it clear to his advisers that while he was willing to give diplomacy one last chance, he would not allow negotiations to drag on indefinitely. The final diplomatic efforts were also a way to reassure Arab allies - countries that have repeatedly communicated with Trump's core advisors in recent weeks, urging the US to be restrained and avoid attacking Iran. But they felt their concerns were not truly taken seriously by the US side, and it seemed almost certain that Trump would order an attack on Iran at some point soon. On February 24th, the "Group of Eight" in Congress heard a report about the possibility of US-Israeli joint military action against Iran. Two days later, Trump received a briefing from General Cooper, the commander of the US Central Command. During the early planning meetings for the strike, General Kean, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expressed concerns about the impact of prolonged military operations on the Pentagon's ammunition reserves and air defense resources. Even Hedges, who was not involved in daily planning, held reservations. However, neither of them strongly opposed going to war. In addition to Trump and a few hawkish individuals, a sense of resignation prevailed within the US government.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858530537910283/
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