The Iran war was launched with too little scrutiny and has been prosecuted with too much secrecy. The government has systematically sought to conceal from the American people the true costs of President Donald Trump’s war of choice, including its toll on military readiness.
The Post’s Alex Horton and Tara Copp revealed over the weekend that several military leaders have warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that “prolonging large-scale operations against Iran is unsustainable and risks weakening their ability to confront threats elsewhere, including the U.S. homeland.”
The commanders responsible for U.S. forces in Europe, Asia and Latin America, along with the Navy’s top admiral, privately said in an Aug. 14 document that they disagree with Hegseth’s order to extend their forces but will nevertheless carry it out. In military parlance, this is a “non-concur.”
On Sunday, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell posted online that “non-concurs are standard” and Hegseth “sees them constantly.” Parnell also said, without evidence, that much of The Post’s scoop was inaccurate. The Post’s newsroom, which operates independently of the opinion section, responded by expressing confidence in its reporting.
The generals clearly have good reasons to worry about resources being stretched thin. Troops have been overextended, and it’s taking a toll on morale. Stockpiles of critical weapons are running low. Roughly a quarter of the Pentagon’s Reaper drones have been used. And the Navy’s only aircraft carrier in the Pacific was diverted to the Middle East earlier this month. Allies are rattled.
In a free society, there is an overwhelming public interest in knowing these facts. The Constitution guarantees the rights of news organizations to publish such information.
Six months ago, Trump took the country into a preemptive war without making a robust case for why it was in the national interest. He never articulated a clear strategy or endgame. Trump also refused to seek congressional authorization.
The administration and its defenders argue that The Post’s reporting will undermine deterrence, but Trump’s hubris already did that. The president apparently let the success of the operation to remove Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro get to his head. He seemed convinced that toppling the regime in Tehran would be easy, too.
Now there’s a quagmire, and Trump wants to put the Iran issue back on the shelf, at least until after the midterms. To hold elected leaders accountable, voters need to know the truth.
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