U.S. Army Major General Randy Manner (Ret.) and I spoke just as Iran was hitting ATACMS systems in Kuwait and the U.S. was bombing Iran's southern coast.
Refreshingly, his assessment of the Hormuz standoff cut through both sides' propaganda.
CENTCOM's own data shows 140 ships per week transiting the strait right now. Before the war, it was 140 per DAY. 15% of normal flow, while Washington calls it "open" and Tehran calls it "closed."
On the MOU and negotiations, he was equally blunt. The administration "does not have its A-Team out there. In fact, they have no A-Team."
He sees no military solution and no credible diplomatic path either.
His prediction for how this ends: Trump pays Iran billions and quietly accepts Iranian management of their side of the strait.
On the Mitch McConnell fiasco: "This sounds exactly like the old Soviet approach. So-and-so has a cold and 5 months later, oh yeah, he's dead."
Great convo with Major General Randy Manner. Enjoy.
