21.09.2019, Washington.
“We must conduct a military retaliatory strike against Iran,” stated retired four-star US Army general Jack Keane, a Fox News senior strategic analyst, during the Fox News broadcast on September 18.
“We have a major crisis on our hands here,” said the general.
According to him, it is not worth it to talk with Iran, now. “I don’t believe the Iranians are in any position to talk right now,” said Keane, scoffing at the idea that US and Iranian negotiators could meet at the upcoming UN General Assembly.
“This is not just an attack on our allies, Saudi Arabia. It is an egregious act of war, because it is an attack on the world’s economy,” he added.
That is why the US and its allies cannot leave the incident unpunished.
An attack on Iran can be carried out when “we make sure that people understand that Iran is absolutely responsible for this attack. That evidence is in,” said the general.
The reason for the military strike is to “impose costs on Iran to deter them from disrupting the world’s economy, because that is what they are clearly focused on.”
According to the general, sanctions will not solve this problem. “It will take a military retaliatory strike. It doesn’t mean we’re going to war with Iran, an all-out. It does means we conduct a limited attack, likely against [Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps] targets who executed this attack, and also on some economic targets, in terms of oil production, distribution, storage.”
An attack on Saudi Arabia would unite US allies, noted the general.
US President Donald Trump is capable of striking Iran because he is different from the previous president, believes the general. “Obama was always paralyzed by the fear of adverse consequences, by the fear of escalation. Therefore, we do nothing, and we don’t examine the consequences of doing nothing”, summed up the general.
According to media reports, President Trump regularly watches Fox News broadcasts, and general Keane is one of his favorite analysts.
Earlier, The New York Times reported that General Keane was one of the people who convinced Trump not to attack Iran in response to the downing if a US drone in June 2019.
General Jack Keane (born in 1943) is a major figure in the US elites. He is considered to be a key architect of US “troop surge” in Iraq in 2007. Keane consults Trump and Pompeo on Middle Eastern policy issues, especially regarding Iran. He previously advised President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and General David Petraeus. Trump twice offered Keane the job of Secretary of Defense, in 2016 and 2018. Both times, the general refused. Despite this, the president has maintained good relations with the general, and unlike many previous favorites, Trump calls him “my No. 1 guy”.
In June 2016, Keane became one of the founders of IP3 International, which has the objective of facilitating the transfer of US nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. The Daily Beast reported that much of IP3 International’s efforts are focused on selling nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia without the kingdom signing legally binding non-proliferation documents. Such a deal would allow Saudi Arabia to produce weapons-grade nuclear fuel.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
