US Army major says Washington faces 'tactical failure' in Iran war
Photo: The US military made a serious mistake (Getty Images)
US Army Major Steven Ramsbottom, who survived an Iranian attack on a US military facility in Kuwait, has filed a whistleblower complaint with Congress, according to CBS News.
The US major claims that the US Army's military leadership ignored warnings about inadequate security at the base and failed to ensure proper defenses against drones ahead of the war with Iran.
According to Ramsbottom, Army command failed to take action after receiving reports that the US command post in Kuwait was poorly protected. On the first day of the conflict, an Iranian drone struck the facility, killing six US service members.
Ramsbottom also highlighted the lack of adequate medical facilities at the Shuaiba site. In particular, the complaint states that there was no doctor or permanent medical station there, and only one ambulance was available to provide medical assistance.
Speaking on the 60 Minutes program, the major acknowledged that responsibility for the failures lay not only with military leadership but also with him personally.
"I feel this is a tactical failure by the Army, our leadership, and myself — all the way down to my level. We just did not plan this well, and this needs to be a lesson that we learn," he said.
The complaint has drawn the attention of Democratic lawmakers. Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal, the ranking member on the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent a list of demands to Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.
In a letter dated November 15, he called on the defense secretary to take part in a closed-door briefing and provide all force protection assessments for the service members stationed at the Port of Shuaiba.
In addition, Democrats said they intend to investigate the administration's actions during the war with Iran. They plan to do so after regaining control of both chambers of Congress next year.
"The families of the six fallen service members, the wounded survivors, and the American people deserve transparency and accountability," Blumenthal stressed.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said the threat posed by Iran must be eliminated once and for all.
We also reported that Trump and Netanyahu had a "tough" conversation about Iran.
