By Lt. Gen. Rod Bishop, USAF ret, USAFA ’74
STARRS Chairman
As a military aviator and veteran of more contingencies than I care to remember, I watched with bated breath and prayers in my heart on the evening of June 21st as Operation Midnight Hammer was unfolding on live TV.
A 37 hour long mission, cramped cockpits, strapped to ejection seats, radio silence, with only a tiny toilet to take care of nature’s calls and a small cot to try and catch some shut eye, were just some of my thoughts.
But I went to sleep that night so proud to have been an American aviator—and an American citizen—proud of my nearly four decades of military service.
Knowing what it takes to plan and flawlessly execute a mission of such scale and scope, at extreme ranges, over enemy territory, with incredible skill, precision, and courage, I saluted my fellow pilots and stood a bit taller, as a proud American Airman.
What those Airmen, Guardians, Sailors, and Soldiers pulled off was nothing short of miraculous. No other country on planet earth could have done this—without a single casualty or mishap.
Yet waking up that next morning I found myself in a parallel universe. Rather than praise and pride, the airwaves were filled with bellyaching naysayers, all looking for a cloud in the silver lining….
Even allegedly “moderate” Senator (former astronaut) and decorated Naval Officer Mark Kelly (D-AZ), went so far to express there was “no endgame in mind, “ suggesting also that there were no specific goals and objectives.
I thought to myself—it just seems like America is ever increasingly becoming a blob of polarized individuals from two different ends of a political spectrum instead of representatives of our nation’s motto of “E Pluribus Unum.”
As a graduate of two of our nation’s premier war college—the Naval War College (Command and Staff) and the National War College—with two master’s degrees in National Security Studies), I take great umbrage with Senator Kelly’s assessment.
The #1 lesson I took as a graduate from those two distinguished colleges is we often fail in warfare when we don’t clearly define the end state.
What specifically are we trying to achieve? The #2 lesson? —”Have clear, definable, achievable objectives.” President Trump very clearly articulated our desired end state as: an Iran that was nuclear weapon free (and incapable of producing one.)
The objectives, too, were limited, and deftly defined—demolish the nuclear weapon production sites that are buried deep in the ground that perhaps are beyond Israeli capabilities to destroy.
That end state and those objectives, Senator Kelly, are stunning in their sharpness. Both the end state and objectives, thanks to the great skill and meticulous planning of those defending our nation, appear with high certainty to have been achieved. And again, the clarity in direction here from our President was blinding.
Our legacy media was no better, unveiling classified information breathlessly promoting a single intelligence report that said the nuclear sites were not destroyed, without mentioning a number of important details:
(1) the intelligence report illegally cited was an initial (preliminary) report and initial reports are almost always wrong, (2) the classified assessment was labeled “low confidence,” and perhaps the most misleading omission—(3) the extensive years of testing, simulation, and training that went into this one mission.
I can personally attest that this operation has been analyzed and discussed since at least my last tour in the Pentagon in 2004-05.
To our media—that is not reporting—that is spinning with an intent to diminish a huge American success and the President who ordered the mission. Yes, it is the media’s job to ask questions—but can’t you ask them without misleading your audience while doing so?
I would suggest a “healthy nation,” instead of having so many of its politicians (and media) ardently searching for anything to criticize, should at this point be celebrating!
Yes, celebrating our Air Force and their joint partners and their ability to accomplish an extremely complex mission!
Celebrating the success of having a very specific LIMITED end state and objectives spelled out and achieved!
Celebrating the amazing coordination between allies (Israel and the US)! (While not Israeli “allies,” the Gulf States contributions should be recognized here as well.)
Celebrating that–for the first time in decades–we don’t have to wake up with the threat of an Iranian nuke being developed in the next few weeks, months or years hanging over our heads!
Celebrating that, finally, we have American leadership that has stood up and delivered on promises that have been made over the last 30 years by the last six or so American presidents and until this weekend went unfulfilled!
Celebrating that the 1000+ American lives lost to Iranian terrorists over the last almost 50 years are finally being atoned!
Celebrating a cease fire (that appears to be holding) and hope at last that we might have taken some very important steps in achieving peace in the Middle East!
I could go on–but the naysayers entered, looking for that cloud. Instead, what we observed this last week was not a celebration—but a search for criticism and an unhealthy “politics on steroids.”
As we ready to celebrate America’s 249th birthday this week, our hope should be that we come together as our founding fathers envisioned—as one nation, one people.
If we can’t find a way to put politics aside at a time in history of great American accomplishment and leadership, I would suggest the chances of our Republic lasting another 249 years are slim!
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Lt Gen Rod Bishop (U.S. Air Force, ret.) is a veteran of 38 years in uniform with nearly 6000 flight hours. He concluded his career serving as Air Commander Europe and Third Air Force Commander, responsible for all US air and space operations in the 93 countries of Africa and Europe. In retirement he co-founded and currently serves Chairman of the Board of Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services, (STARRS.US). Inc. STARRS seeks to ensure our military remains focused on readiness and its mission. The author’s views are his own.
First published on Real Clear Defense
I am so sorry (NOT!) that Midnight Hammer was a huge success, important enough to make believers of some, but not all, the usual suspects who nevertheless tried unsuccessfully to portray this masterful military action as a failure. The same folks who tried to sell the “retreat” (“run away”) from Afghanistan as “another” jewel in the crown of CornPop’s chief adversary. Talk about screwed up!
I find it abhorrent that Democrats-and-friends continue to identify President Trump as America’s greatest enemy, while the rest of America continues to war against real enemies, Radical Islam, Marxism, Communism, militant Socialism, drug and human traffic Cartels, and their blissfully ignorant champions on both sides of the aisle.