One of the reasons Hitler's Generals were initially successful in launching Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, was Joseph Stalin's purging of the Soviet military ranks to get rid of any rivals for power and minds that disagreed with his military policies during his wars against Finland, the reoccupation of the Baltic and Eastern Poland, and the Far East.
These purges led to a leadership vacuum where experienced officers were either dead or too afraid to counsel against Stalin's reluctance to heed intelligence reports that the Germans were preparing to invade the Soviet Union.
Fast forward to 2026, and is history repeating itself with American Duce Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in their drive to make the United States military leadership more white male with its purging of black and female leadership and officers who do not agree with them, along with ill-advised military ventures in Iran, opening the doors for America's enemies to take action, like China going into Taiwan, for example.
This weekend, it has been revealed that military leadership has warned the Defense Secretary that the continued attacks on Iran "are not sustainable" with the firings, weapons shortfalls, and damage to United States bases in the region.
Trump and his Executive Branch team, salivating for a return to a more isolationist/American muscular regional hegemonic age, seem obsessed with tearing apart the post-World War Two international order that has prevented World War Three.
These ill-advised actions with Hegseth's purges and poorly conducted war against Iran are accomplishing that.
That is dangerous for the American People and the nation.
Commenting on social media on Trump's ineptitude, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly posted:
"Starting a war against Iran without a plan. Threatening to bomb Oman. Sailors suffering aboard the USS Lincoln. Reducing joint military exercises with South Korea. None of these things have made our country stronger or safer. Trump doesn’t know what he’s doing."
In an interview with Scott McFarlane, Kelly pointed out Hegseth's stupidity, saying:
"We are the most lethal, capable fighting force this planet has ever seen. Our problem isn't lethality, you know. Our problem is, sometimes we put idiots in charge of things, and they make big mistakes and will take this country to war for no good reason. And it's always guys like, you know, certainly Donald Trump who avoided military service. You know, Pete Hegseth, he's, I think, he's a little bit harder to explain. I think the reason is, he should know better. I think he missed something when he served on active duty and didn't really understand the fundamental nature of the U.S. military.
"We are capable, we're lethal — That's not the problem. We don't need more testosterone in the U.S. military right now. What we need is better leadership."
Kelly is right.
Better leadership is needed in the White House and the Defense Department.
Leaders who will not repeat history by imitating the loser policies of totalitarian dictators from the 1920's, 1930's, and 1940's.
