Former Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg has likened President Donald Trump’s approach to Iran with historical military actions that previously succeeded in bringing adversaries to the negotiation table. Speaking on ‘Hannity’, Kellogg discussed how Trump’s use of ‘kinetic strikes’ and his firm threats have recently led Iran back to negotiations.
Referring to the strikes, Kellogg stated, ‘The bombing that he took, the kinetic strikes, actually brought the Iranians to the table. It’s not the first time we’ve ever done that.’
Kellogg drew a parallel between Trump’s strategy and President Richard Nixon’s 1972 ‘Linebacker II’ bombing campaign. This operation compelled North Vietnam to resume peace talks, ultimately leading to the end of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War.
If you go back to 1972, we saw the same thing happen with President Nixon and Kissinger when the North Vietnamese were just delaying the peace talks. Well, he unleashed what was called Linebacker II. He put B-52 bombers over Hanoi and Haiphong and basically bombed them back to the table.
The Linebacker II campaign was significant, lasting nearly two weeks with extensive B-52 bombings around Christmas targeting North Vietnamese military positions.
In recent developments, U.S. military actions inside Iran were a response to an Iranian attack on an Apache helicopter. This week, Trump also called off planned strikes, stating that negotiations were advancing towards a peace agreement.
Kellogg commented that the current situation with Iran closely resembles Nixon’s tactics; he emphasized Trump’s determination to achieve dismantling Tehran’s nuclear program, noting Iran’s uranium enrichment levels posed challenges for Middle Eastern peace.
‘I’m just shocked, absolutely shocked, that a lot of Americans don’t see this. It’s not for our generation. This is a generation of our kids and our grandkids as well. And we’ve got to ensure that we have peace in the Middle East,’ noted Kellogg on the long-term impact of the issue.
In related matters, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that a peace deal between the U.S. and Iran is on the brink of finalization. He indicated that electronic signing and subsequent discussions could occur imminently, commending both nations for their dedication to ending conflict.
‘We would like to thank the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran for their ongoing commitment during the negotiations, and we extend our sincere appreciation to our brothers in the region for their support,’ Sharif expressed.
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