US statement that will increase tension: We are developing many military options
General Milley, Chairman of Staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, attended a session with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in the Senate Armed Services Committee on the fiscal year 2024 defense budget.
Explaining that Iran is involved in activities that cause instability in the region and continues to attack the bases where US soldiers are stationed, Milley said that Iran can obtain the fissile material needed for nuclear weapons in less than two weeks.
“After that, it only takes a few months for them to build a complete nuclear weapon,” Milley said. The United States is determined as a policy not to allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. The US military has developed several military options for the administration to consider if Iran decides to develop nuclear weapons.” she used the phrase.
At the session, attacks by Iranian-backed groups on the bases where US soldiers are stationed in Iraq and Syria sparked discussion.
Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican, claimed that information about the shooting of the base where US soldiers are stationed in Syria by Iranian-backed forces was withheld from Congress for a time.
Cotton argued that the Pentagon covered up the attack in Syria just as the Senate was discussing a bill that would require US President Joe Biden to confirm that Iran does not support terror groups in the region.
The US senator claimed that if this information was in the hands of Congress at that time, the bill could have passed.
Austin, on the other hand, argued that Milley and Congress were in budget session on the day of the attack, and that the timing of the information being released to Congress and the bill’s debate in the Senate were unrelated.
DELIVERY OF UAV MQ-9 TO UKRAINE
Another topic that caused controversy at the session was whether the military carried out a UAV flight in the same region after Russia shot down the US MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the Black Sea.
When asked by a senator, Austin, the Secretary of Defense, said: “We fly the routes that we want to collect intelligence.” He tried to make it happen by answering.
He claimed that after the senator cracked down on accusations in the media that the US changed the flight path, they adjusted Austin’s flight paths and made flights in all areas allowed under international law in the region.
At the session, one of the senators asked why Ukraine did not receive the MQ-9.
Austin said the airspace where the war was taking place was dangerous, the MQ-9s were slow and could not fly against Russian air defense systems.
To the same question, Milley replied:
“First of all, they can’t stand it. They are quite large and slow, they are attacked by Russian air defense systems. Also, I’m not sure how they can contribute more to their capabilities than the smaller, faster and more agile drones that we and other countries have provided.”
“RUSSIA INTENDS TO FULLY CONTROL THE BLACK SEA”
When asked about Russia’s primary goal in the Black Sea, Austin said: “Russia aims to fully control the Black Sea and prevent our allies and partners from having permanent access to it.” he gave the answer.
The US minister said he had discussed with his regional counterparts the importance of access to the Black Sea and that allies in the region must work together on this issue.
UNCHORDED WAR AGAINST CHINA
Asked by a senator how US Special Forces could be used to deter China, General Milley said that “there’s a pretty wide gray area in great power competition” and that Special Forces is an element important here.
Referring to US Special Forces training and tactical support to partners in the region against China, Milley said: “Looking at conventional warfare more broadly, unconventional warfare plays a crucial role in all theaters of warfare, and will also play a key role in great power warfare.” saying.
Milley also said, “Special forces have a range of capabilities in which they can play a direct role before the start of war and help deter war with a major power.” she used the phrase. (AA)