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groundloop

(13,888 posts) Mon Mar 2, 2026, 10:40 AM Mar 2

23

Hegseth: 'We didn't start this war but under President Trump we're finishing it'

Source: NPR

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said Monday the U.S.-Israeli action against Iran was in response to the Islamic republic's years-long targeting of the U.S. military and interests around the world.

"We didn't start this war but under President Trump we're finishing it," he said.

The remarks are the administration's first in public to reporters since the U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran began Saturday despite weeks of talks designed to stave off a conflict. That operation – and Iran's retaliation – has resulted in the death of Iran's supreme leader and some of its senior leadership, embroiled other Middle Eastern nations in the conflict, and led to the deaths of four American service members in Kuwait.

"This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change," Hegseth said. "And the world is better off for it."

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2026/03/02/nx-s1-5732258/us-iran-hegseth-caine

tRump's chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also commented that the military objective will be difficult to achieve.

What the hell is the objective of Operation Epic Distraction?

35 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Hegseth: 'We didn't start this war but under President Trump we're finishing it' (Original Post) groundloop Mar 2 OP

WTAF? Nonsensical babbling idiot says what? Whyisthisstillclose Mar 2 #1

The pedo and the Nazis did start this war Farmer-Rick Mar 2 #15

The objective is to declare an emergency. Hugin Mar 2 #2

Didn't John Wayne use that line in one of his movies? Maybe it was Clint Eastwood? sop Mar 2 #3

They think they are in a movie and its all scripted. Srkdqltr Mar 2 #4

professional actor Whip-poor-will Mar 2 #26

..Hunger Games.. thomski64 Mar 2 #27

That works. I had Marvel Universe in mind. Srkdqltr Mar 2 #28

If WE didn't start the war then who the hell did? groundloop Mar 2 #5

So much winning. Ferrets are Cool Mar 2 #6

Israel and the US most definitely started this war .. as they did the earlier one karynnj Mar 2 #7

And if you want to trace it all the way back back, the U.S. started this war with Iran in 1953, thesquanderer Mar 2 #17

It is even sadder in that it could have led karynnj Mar 2 #18

CIA and MI6 operation Ajax.. thomski64 Mar 2 #29

Netanyahu and Trump 100% started this war Prairie Gates Mar 2 #8

Operation Epstein Fury. tblue37 Mar 2 #9

Hegseth... did not point to any threat of an imminent nuclear threat from Iran, and he said again that last riversedge Mar 2 #10

That's some twisted bullshit. Emile Mar 2 #11

Bull sh*t. Karma13612 Mar 2 #12

You mean operation Epstein distraction! kimbutgar Mar 2 #13

Nail it republianmushroom Mar 2 #21

BINGO mahina Mar 3 #34

Wut? City Lights Mar 2 #14

ah yes, the new narrative. Javaman Mar 2 #16

The US did start this war...in 1953! GCG Mar 2 #19

Two more lies MW67 Mar 2 #20

Congress Starts Wars Not the POTUS modrepub Mar 2 #22

"We" didn't start this war? I guess maybe it was leprechauns or Hobbits. raccoon Mar 2 #23

As usual, he's under some kind of drunk delusion. mdbl Mar 2 #24

What do you mean "we"? Speak for yourself , traitor! Wonder Why Mar 2 #25

"four to five weeks" Skittles Mar 2 #30

and pigs will fly creon Mar 2 #32

If Persia is attacked, a great empire will be destroyed creon Mar 2 #31

The Epstein/Trump war with Iran will never end...Russia and China are happy to continue sending missiles and drones wcmagumba Mar 2 #33

Should we all feel better now? ProudMNDemocrat Mar 3 #35

Whyisthisstillclose

(694 posts)

1. WTAF? Nonsensical babbling idiot says what?

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 10:42 AM

Mar 2

Farmer-Rick

(12,707 posts)

15. The pedo and the Nazis did start this war

Reply to Whyisthisstillclose (Reply #1)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 12:23 PM

Mar 2

Was Hegseth drunk again? Or still?

Does he think we believe the shit they spew?

Of course he and the pedo started this war. He thinks a pedo who drops bombs on people is more lovable than a pedo who just pretends he didn't diddel little girls.

Hugin

(37,872 posts)

2. The objective is to declare an emergency.

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 10:42 AM

Mar 2

Shutting down the midterm elections.

sop

(18,767 posts)

3. Didn't John Wayne use that line in one of his movies? Maybe it was Clint Eastwood?

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 10:43 AM

Mar 2

Srkdqltr

(9,798 posts)

4. They think they are in a movie and its all scripted.

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 10:45 AM

Mar 2

Whip-poor-will

(314 posts)

26. professional actor

Reply to Srkdqltr (Reply #4)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 08:51 PM

Mar 2

He does have a SAG card

thomski64

(942 posts)

27. ..Hunger Games..

Reply to Srkdqltr (Reply #4)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 08:56 PM

Mar 2

..after all it is a TV show..

Srkdqltr

(9,798 posts)

28. That works. I had Marvel Universe in mind.

Reply to thomski64 (Reply #27)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 08:59 PM

Mar 2

groundloop

(13,888 posts)

5. If WE didn't start the war then who the hell did?

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 10:46 AM

Mar 2

Ferrets are Cool

(22,988 posts)

6. So much winning.

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 10:49 AM

Mar 2

karynnj

(60,997 posts)

7. Israel and the US most definitely started this war .. as they did the earlier one

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 11:01 AM

Mar 2

that Trump credits himself with ending. Additionally, while many leaders were killed, it is early to say we changed the regime. Time will tell if the regime continues led by others or there is regime change for the better, worse or to an equally bad leadership.

thesquanderer

(13,034 posts)

17. And if you want to trace it all the way back back, the U.S. started this war with Iran in 1953,

Reply to karynnj (Reply #7)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 12:55 PM

Mar 2

when we worked to overthrow their legitimately elected leader. All the trouble that's happened between Iran and the U.S. can be traced back to that.

And it started over oil, of course.

karynnj

(60,997 posts)

18. It is even sadder in that it could have led

Reply to thesquanderer (Reply #17)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 12:58 PM

Mar 2

to Iran being a relatively moderate secular country. If so, it could have led to a far more stable, less troubled middle east.

thomski64

(942 posts)

29. CIA and MI6 operation Ajax..

Reply to thesquanderer (Reply #17)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 09:06 PM

Mar 2

Install Reza Pahlavi and Savak (ICE)
Eliminate left wing opponents, leaving only Islamists who toppled our puppet in 1979.
After they held Embassy hostages, Reagan cut deal with Islamists to embarrass President Carter....but Krasnov only cares about
Grifting for
Oligarchy
Pedophiles

Prairie Gates

(8,255 posts)

8. Netanyahu and Trump 100% started this war

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 11:08 AM

Mar 2

They always begin with the most outrageous lie they can muster in order to make you doubt your basic understanding of reality. They are abusers, pure and simple. Trump raped teenage girls for years. Hegseth drugged and raped a woman at a conference. It is not a metaphor. They are abusers.

tblue37

(68,444 posts)

9. Operation Epstein Fury.

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 11:17 AM

Mar 2

riversedge

(80,971 posts)

10. Hegseth... did not point to any threat of an imminent nuclear threat from Iran, and he said again that last

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 11:24 AM

Mar 2

Hegseth... did not point to any threat of an imminent nuclear threat from Iran, and he said again that last summer’s strikes by the U.S. and Israel “obliterated their nuclear program to rubble.”

apnews.com/article/trum...

Hegseth... did not point to any threat of an imminent nuclear threat from Iran, and he said again that last summerâ€™s strikes by the U.S. and Israel â€œobliterated their nuclear program to rubble.â€

apnews.com/article/trum...
— (@oceancalm.bsky.social) 2026-03-02T15:22:11.531Z

Emile

(42,458 posts)

11. That's some twisted bullshit.

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 11:27 AM

Mar 2

Karma13612

(4,987 posts)

12. Bull sh*t.

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 11:30 AM

Mar 2

Negotiations for a nuclear disarmament were happening.

There was no freaking war going on.
Stop your damn gaslighting.

kimbutgar

(27,303 posts)

13. You mean operation Epstein distraction!

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 12:00 PM

Mar 2

republianmushroom

(22,378 posts)

21. Nail it

Reply to kimbutgar (Reply #13)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 01:23 PM

Mar 2

mahina

(20,668 posts)

34. BINGO

Reply to kimbutgar (Reply #13)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 12:10 PM

Mar 3

City Lights

(25,882 posts)

14. Wut?

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 12:00 PM

Mar 2

Was he drunk again when he said that?

WTAF.

Javaman

(65,821 posts)

16. ah yes, the new narrative.

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 12:37 PM

Mar 2

we didn't start the war we started.

gotcha.

GCG

(96 posts)

19. The US did start this war...in 1953!

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 01:05 PM

Mar 2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat

MW67

(185 posts)

20. Two more lies

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 01:16 PM

Mar 2

Guess that's all they have got, lies.

modrepub

(4,124 posts)

22. Congress Starts Wars Not the POTUS

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 01:36 PM

Mar 2

You’d think someone in the M$M would point that out after the Secretary of Drunk made this statement.

So anyone want the speculate when our media crossed over into the propaganda arm of the state?

raccoon

(32,404 posts)

23. "We" didn't start this war? I guess maybe it was leprechauns or Hobbits.

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 03:22 PM

Mar 2

mdbl

(8,705 posts)

24. As usual, he's under some kind of drunk delusion.

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 03:39 PM

Mar 2

Wonder Why

(7,089 posts)

25. What do you mean "we"? Speak for yourself , traitor!

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 08:45 PM

Mar 2

Skittles

(171,938 posts)

30. "four to five weeks"

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 09:10 PM

Mar 2

sure, bro

creon

(2,064 posts)

32. and pigs will fly

Reply to Skittles (Reply #30)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 09:11 PM

Mar 2

That fool is talking nosense.

creon

(2,064 posts)

31. If Persia is attacked, a great empire will be destroyed

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 09:10 PM

Mar 2

This will not end well.

wcmagumba

(6,302 posts)

33. The Epstein/Trump war with Iran will never end...Russia and China are happy to continue sending missiles and drones

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Mon Mar 2, 2026, 10:44 PM

Mar 2

to anyone and everyone inside Iran for use against the US, UK and other allies...

ProudMNDemocrat

(20,940 posts)

35. Should we all feel better now?

Reply to groundloop (Original post)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 12:45 PM

Mar 3

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