Two NATO officials and a former defense official in the administration of former US President Barack Obama said that the environment in which the United States and its allies are dealing with the repercussions of "Russian piracy" and the growing tensions with Iran are "very tense."
The US Business Insider reported Thursday, December 31, 2020, that the Trump administration’s refusal to leave to coordinate the handover of the Pentagon with the next Biden team, as well as granting wholesale civilian positions at the last minute to marginal national security figures, comes at a difficult time for national security. American.
Tension between Washington and its NATO allies
Two NATO officials and a former Obama administration defense official contacted by Business Insider described the tense environment in which the United States and its allies are dealing with the repercussions of comprehensive Russian hacking on the US government's computer systems , in addition to the growing tensions with Iran across the Middle East.
A senior NATO official said: "We have witnessed a historic penetration of the main networks of the US government, while US forces and NATO allies are fighting together in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and East Africa, and this comes on the anniversary of the assassination of Soleimani, for whom Tehran has pledged revenge."
In reference to Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by the United States in a drone strike in Iraq on January 3rd.
The official, who requested anonymity, also criticized the main NATO ally. The source had spoken on the same day that the United States transferred several B-52 bombers to the Middle East, in a show of force that would deter any Iranian move.
A "selfish idiot" called Donald Trump
The NATO official also said that refusing to coordinate the handover of the world's most powerful military force in a united and responsible manner would not be envisaged in the records of history. Not to mention, of course, that in 2020 we are talking about a selfish, irresponsible idiot named Donald Trump.
From the perspective of the NATO allies, the official says, we understand that this is a difficult situation for our American allies, but there is an important security situation in place with Iran that could explode at any time, in addition to clear evidence that many of the American secure computer networks have been compromised. By Russia.
He added, "We need to fully brief the incoming Biden administration, and prepare to deal with these very serious issues facing NATO security."
The Pentagon had had some meetings with the Biden team, according to Sue Gough, a Pentagon spokeswoman. Although one of them, about the Russian penetration of the highest levels of the Trump administration, took place until December 30, the day Business Insider requested the suspension.
"Suspicious" US army moves in the Gulf
NATO's fears were heightened by recent US moves in the Gulf , as American media revealed, on Wednesday, December 30, that two American bombers were carrying out a new mission for the second time this month in the Middle East, against the backdrop of what they described as new threats from Iran as the anniversary of Qasim’s death approaches Soleimani.
The Washington Post said that two American B-52 bombers flew for 30 hours or more, on a round-trip mission from the United States to the Middle East; To send a new warning to Tehran, after reports revealed that the latter was preparing to launch attacks against US-allied targets in Iraq and neighboring countries in the coming days, according to a senior US military official.
The US Central Command also said, in a statement, that the bombers that launched from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, on Tuesday morning, for the third time in the past 45 days, were carrying out deterrence missions over the Arabian Gulf accompanied by a fighter escort, indicating that the American bombers flew without incident No accidents.
Iran is preparing to respond, and Washington is preparing
Earlier, the US website Politico revealed, citing a military official, that the US military is on high alert, and is preparing to reinforce its forces in the Middle East, in response to a possible Iranian attack, which is what Trump's NATO allies fear.
In turn, the American Central Command announced that two "B-52" bombers had flown over the waters of the Arabian Gulf, amid threats by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards to respond to the moves of "enemies."
While a US official revealed to the newspaper that there are worrying indications of a possible Iranian attack by Iranian militias in Iraq, and the Pentagon is monitoring the matter.
America strengthens its surveillance of the region
In recent days, the US military tightened its surveillance of the region, as it returned the aircraft carrier "USS Nimitz" to the Middle East, and sent an additional squadron of fighter jets from Europe.
Commenting on these steps, the military official, who preferred not to be named, said that Washington's recent moves in the Middle East aim to deter Iran from taking any aggressive action against US and coalition forces in the region as a result of the killing of the nuclear scientist Fakhri Zadeh.
While the US Central Command revealed that Iran is still looking for a way to respond and avenge the killing of its scientist Fakhrizadeh. And she confirmed that after the killing of Qassem Soleimani, Iran is facing difficulty in coordinating matters in Iraq.