Pete Hegseth denies Iran war is a ‘quagmire’ as cost to US hits estimated $25bn
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected claims that the US-Israel war on Iran is a “quagmire,” instead blaming critics in Congress for undermining the war effort during a House Armed Services Committee hearing.
- Hegseth urged lawmakers to approve a $1.5 trillion military budget, emphasizing the war as an “existential fight” and highlighting a 7% pay increase for lower enlisted troops within the proposal.
- Tensions flared as Democrat John Garamendi criticized the administration’s handling of the conflict, calling it a political and economic disaster, while Hegseth accused him of spreading propaganda and undermining the mission.
- Democratic lawmakers questioned the diplomatic isolation of the US, the management of the increased defense budget, and raised concerns over civilian casualties, notably the strike on a school in Minab that reportedly killed many children.
- Hegseth claimed Iran’s nuclear facilities had been “obliterated,” but Democrats challenged the effectiveness of the operation, pointing out contradictions regarding the ongoing nuclear threat that justified the war’s initiation.
