Trump’s Retreat: From the Gulf to Britain, American Forces Pull Back

THE NEW YORK TIMES: A war that was intended to demonstrate the reach of American power has now done the opposite. It is a lesson in unintended consequences.

To hear President Trump and his aides describe it, the rush to withdraw 12 B-1 bombers from an air base in Britain over the weekend was a prudent precaution, in response to a threat they refused to describe.

It was no big deal, Mr. Trump insisted, and his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, tried to wave it away by noting that the Pentagon is “constantly reallocating resources where they need to be.”

But to anyone watching the deployment of American power around the globe in the seven months since Mr. Trump decided to attack Iran, it was another glaring example of how, time after time, Mr. Trump and his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, have been forced into retreat, pulling back military forces that had been deployed to the Middle East and Britain as a deterrent.

Over the past several months, as the conflict has dragged on, the Iran war has come to reveal enormous new American vulnerabilities, forcing changes that the Pentagon was not contemplating a year ago. But it has also proved a bitter lesson in the unintended consequences that have flowed from Mr. Trump’s war of choice. » | David E. Sanger and Eric Schmitt | David E. Sanger and Eric Schmitt have reported on American conflicts and geopolitical strategy for the Times for more than forty years. Mr. Sanger is a White House correspondent and Mr. Schmitt covers the Pentagon. | Wednesday, October 7, 2026

It’s Time to End the Insanity | Steve Schmidt

Oct 1, 2026 | Pete Hegseth is the most unfit person to ever lead the U.S. military. Steve Schmidt breaks down Hegseth's disgraceful "State of the Force" and why he is the real clown.

America is sinking and sinking and sinking into the mire. It’s such a pity for a once great nation. But it was to be expected when the American electorate voted Trump and his chumps into office. — © Mark Alexander

Pete Hegseth Announces Elon Musk to Steer US Military Strategy in Far-right Nationalist Speech

Oct 1, 2026 | Speaking at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a sweeping outline detailing the administration's vision for the future of the U.S. armed forces.

In a speech flanked by junior officers and non-commissioned officers, Hegseth laid out plans for a fundamental restructuring of the Department of Defense - a transition marked by significant ideological shifts, the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and the confirmation of plans to eliminate 20% of America’s top military general officers and admirals.

At the center of this transformation is Project Meridian, a new 120-day government study commissioned to map out technological dominance across next-generation operational domains - including artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons, subterranean warfare, and lunar security.


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If the US Military no longer wants weirdos, then sacking Hegseth would be a good place to start! Moreover, Hegseth should have added one more category to that list of undesirables: drunks!

By the way, I would advise him that he needs to get himself a new tailor. His suits are always way too small for him. Especially the sleeve length. Every time I see him, he looks as if he's wearing a suit his mother bought him to go to church on Sundays.

Further, somebody ought to whisper in Hegseth’s ear the bad news: the US has already probably lost the war against Iran. — © Mark Alexander