U.S. has 'no interest' in new conflict in Middle East - military

[muriel_volestrangler]

“The U.S. and our partners in the region will take all necessary measures to defend ourselves and our interests,” said Lieutenant Colonel Earl Brown, a spokesman for Central Command. “Today’s attacks are a clear threat to international freedom of navigation and freedom of commerce.

“We have no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East,” Brown added. “We will defend our interests, but a war with Iran is not in our strategic interest, nor in the best interest of the international community.”

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-mideast-tanker-usa-military/us-has-no-interest-in-new-conflict-in-middle-east-military-idUKKCN1TE3A1

As Josh Marshall says, is that a message from the US military to Iran, or to the Trump regime?

One final point goes beyond the question of who did it. The Pentagon seems not to be on the same page as the White House or the State Department, which is to say, with John Bolton and Mike Pompeo. It’s just hints. But official statements in the last two days sound as much like they’re directed at other parts of the US government as against Iran.
...
Then today there was this from Acting Defense Secretary Shanahan: “Secretary Pompeo and Ambassador Bolton have been very, very helpful but I think as you can tell, we have an international situation there in the Middle East, it’s not a US situation.”

This sounds oddly explicitly for disagreements within the US government in such a high stakes situation.

It makes sense not to draw too many conclusions. But it certainly seems like the Pentagon is going out of its way to signal that it is not looking for a confrontation with Iran. And that message seems as plausibly directed at other factions within the US government as it does toward Iran or other regional players.

[Pachamama]

1. Good thing we have an Acting Sec of Defense & Acting UN Ambassador for the US

I feel so much better right now...

[bahrbearian]

2. Looks like if Bolton wants to have this war of his ,

he is going to have to attack one of our ships. Next week or next month is the question,.

[comradebillyboy]

3. Who knew Shanahan had a spine. The Joint Cheifs

of Staff must have told him the military wasn't on board with Pompeo and Bolton war mongering.