U.S. Media: Former U.S. official says America's situation is "worrisome" due to China and Russia possessing advanced missiles; because China and Russia are watching, the U.S. must "finish the job with Iran"

Fox News, the U.S. news outlet, reported on May 2 local time that former U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper issued a stern warning during a Saturday appearance on Fox News Live regarding America’s military readiness, stating that if the U.S. finds itself in a prolonged conflict with China, he believes the nation’s defense industrial base "is not where it should be."

The report states that Esper’s primary concern is not the current tensions with Iran, but rather the massive expenditures on high-end systems such as THAAD, Patriot, JASM (Joint Air and Missile Defense System), and LRASM (Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles).

He noted that ongoing conflicts and efforts to supply weapons to allies like Ukraine and Israel have severely depleted critical weapons, leaving the U.S. overextended across multiple global hotspots.

The report adds that concerns about the U.S.’s position in the hypersonic weapons race further exacerbate this vulnerability, as the U.S. has encountered development obstacles while Russia and China have already deployed such weapons.

The report notes that due to failed launches and production quality issues with the new U.S. "Dark Eagle" hypersonic missile, the Pentagon’s testing office stated there may not be sufficient data by early 2027 to fully assess its combat effectiveness. To accelerate progress, Esper suggested that the current Middle East conflict could serve as a "testing ground" for developing weapon systems.

The report points out that concerns over the U.S. nuclear arsenal come at a time when the military faces broad global commitments—including deploying Patriot missiles in Poland and pledging defensive weapons to Taiwan—prompting the Pentagon to request a $1.5 trillion budget.

The original headline of the report was《Former Defense Sec Esper warns of depleted US munitions stockpiles》(Former Defense Secretary Esper Warns of Depleted U.S. Munitions Stockpiles).

Additionally, according to another report, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday during a Fox News Live segment that the Trump administration must "finish the job with Iran," as China and Russia are watching.

Pompeo stated: "Don’t misunderstand— we must finish the job with Iran. The Chinese are watching. The Russians are watching. Everyone sees that the West is now facing a challenge from Iran’s theocratic regime, and we must win this struggle."

"You must first recognize that none of Iran’s leaders are moderates—they are all radicals," Pompeo said. "Sometimes people say, 'Well, moderates will find a solution.' Don’t believe that nonsense. They will persist until they are forced to make truly difficult choices. As Ayatollahs have previously described it, it’s like drinking from a poisoned cup. One day they’ll realize the game is over, and they’ll have to accept our demands."

The report adds that Pompeo further emphasized, "If we stay the course, President Trump will bring us decades of security. Whether we must strike them again will ultimately be decided by President Trump."

The original headline of the report was《Pompeo says US has to ‘finish the job’ with Iran as China, Russia are watching》(Pompeo Says U.S. Must ‘Finish the Job’ with Iran as China and Russia Are Watching).

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864117054648331/

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