DiscussMormonism.com

It's kind of amazing that the United States was minutes away from an act that could have been opening salvo in a war.

Donald Trump told Chuck Todd that within 30 minutes after approving the misison, he asked the Generals what the casualties would be. He said the Generals said they would get back to him. When they did, they told him they expected 150 casualties. Trump said he then cancelled the operation, saying it was a disproportionate response, given the fact that no American lives had been lost. The President is trying to paint himself as some sort of compassionate hero, making it sound like he was the first person to ask about casualties while the mission was being put in motion.

But here in the real world, when military options are presented to a President, they always come with a Collateral Damage Assessment (CDA), the estimate for the number of casualties for the mission. The idea that the President would receive and approve a plan WITHOUT being apprised of the CDA does not follow what has been the procedure for all military planning: When presenting a military options, collateral damage is always considered before the operation is approved.

If we take the President at his word, and he wasn't apprised of the Collateral Damage Assessment BEFORE approving the operation, it paints a very careless and callous view of a military and a President who would initiate an operation without having the CDA available. But of course in all probability happened was that Trump was apprised of the CDA and still approved the mission. For whatever reason, the mission was then cancelled. Personally, 150 casualties sounds very high. A proportional response would be firing some HARM missiles at a radar site, which would not involve 150 casualties.

It is b.s. like this that shows that the President's reality is...malleable.

Of course, we can't take him at his word. Trump's entire story is likely BS. The Realty TV star we call President is likely just doing what he always does. Manufacturing drama and diversion again. He never intended to do anything with Iran. This is just him taking the spotlight off the train wreck of his Presidency (poll numbers, recent rape allegation, etc)

This was BS, like what most politicians do. However, it's great he didn't launch us into yet another war for oil, for now. For me, it really doesn't matter if an american company or a middle eastern company gouges us at the pump. It's all the same. So, how about we not go to war over which billionaire controls the oil?

Never before have morons had a voice in Washington like they do today. Good for the idiots.

I'm not sure why Trump voters don't like being called stupid. In fact, I suspect they might even like it. Why would you want idiotic representation unless you were idiots? If they weren't stupid, they wouldn't vote for someone so stupid. It's simple math.

Reports from the "Generals" say that Trump was briefed on the number of expected casualties before the go ahead. Of course, Trump may not have been paying attention. He could have been focused on the thought of a cheeseburger or a secretary in the background of the briefing.