'Don't mess with Trump', White house unveils expert insights on 'Operation Epic Fury' as tensions escalate

WASHINGTON (The Uttam Hindu): Several retired US generals, national security experts and think tank heads have called President Donald Trump's "Operation Epic Fury" a historic military campaign. They believe the operation sent a strong message across the Middle East and weakened Iran's ruling regime.

The White House released a full list of such statements on Sunday. Retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg praised President Donald Trump, saying, "The scale of this operation is enormous, and it's amazing to have carried it out successfully. We've done a great job. President Trump has done a great job."

Retired General Jack Keane said the operation was deliberate and had far-reaching consequences. Ronald Reagan Institute Director Roger Zackheim said the attack on Iran changed the regional balance and secured the United States. It was the most effective strategic military action in 47 years.

Seth Cropsey, president of the Yorktown Institute, said the strike targeted Iran's core pillars. "By striking Iran's theocrats, ballistic-missile infrastructure, and command-and-control systems, the regime has become more vulnerable than ever. This attack paves the way for Iran's complete strategic decline," he said.

"No other president, before or in the future, would have been able to eliminate Khamenei and his dangerous nuclear missile and terrorist capabilities," said Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Miad Maleki, senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said, "President Trump is the first American president to come to the aid of the Iranian people and stand up to this oppression. This requires courage and historic vision."

The Wall Street Journal editorial board viewed the attack as a deterrent with profound implications. The board wrote, "Saturday morning's US-Israeli strike on Iran is a necessary deterrent against a regime that is the world's leading promoter of terrorism. Like all wars, it carries risks, but it also has the potential to improve the Middle East and create a safer world."

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "President Trump has done nothing short of a disservice to Western civilization." Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the message would resonate throughout the region. Bennett said, "The biggest lesson is not to mess with President Trump. I think the entire region will be grateful later, and the world will be grateful, because the world is a safer place now than it was yesterday." Commentator Hugh Hewitt called the president's speech thoughtful. Hewitt said, "President Trump's speech was very calm but firm."