米国防長官ら政権高官勢揃い、イエメン攻撃作戦をグループチャットで垂れ流しの大うつけ

【参考】リークされた会話と絵文字

――アトランティック誌が掲載したグループチャットの内容

Friday, March 14

Michael Waltz: "Team, you should have a statement of conclusions with taskings per the Presidents guidance this morning in your high side inboxes.
"State and DOD, we developed suggested notification lists for regional Allies and partners. Joint Staff is sending this am a more specific sequence of events in the coming days and we will work w DOD to ensure COS [chief of staff], OVP [office of vice president] and POTUS [president of the United States]are briefed."
JD Vance: "Team, I am out for the day doing an economic event in Michigan. But I think we are making a mistake.
"I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now. There's a further risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices. I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself. But there is a strong argument for delaying this a month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc."
Joe Kent: "There is nothing time sensitive driving the time line. We'll have the exact same options in a month.

THE ATLANTIC

Pete Hegseth: "VP: I understand your concerns - and fully support you raising w/ POTUS. Important considerations, most of which are tough to know how they play out (economy, Ukraine peace, Gaza, etc). I think messaging is going to be tough no matter what - nobody knows who the Houthis are - which is why we would need to stay focused on: 1) Biden failed & 2) Iran funded.
"Waiting a few weeks or a month does not fundamentally change the calculus. 2 immediate risks on waiting: 1) this leaks, and we look indecisive; 2) Israel takes an action first - or Gaza cease fire falls apart - and we don't get to start this on our own terms. We can manage both. We are prepared to execute, and if I had final go or no go vote, I believe we should. This [is] not about the Houthis. I see it as two things: 1) Restoring Freedom of Navigation, a core national interest; and 2) Reestablish deterrence, which Biden cratered. But, we can easily pause. And if we do, I will do all we can to enforce 100% OPSEC [operations security]. I welcome other thoughts."
Michael Waltz: "Whether it's now or several weeks from now, it will have to be the United States that reopens these shipping lanes. Per the president's request we are working with DOD and State to determine how to compile the cost associated and levy them on the Europeans."
JD Vance: "If you think we should do it let's go. I just hate bailing Europe out again.
"Let's just make sure our messaging is tight here. And if there are things we can do upfront to minimize risk to Saudi oil facilities we should do it.
Hegseth: "VP: I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It's PATHETIC. But Mike is correct, we are the only ones on the planet (on our side of the ledger) who can do this. Nobody else even close. Question is timing. I feel like now is as good a time as any, given POTUS directive to reopen shipping lanes. I think we should go; but POTUS still retains 24 hours of decision space."
SM [Stephen Miller]: "As I heard it, the president was clear: green light, but we soon make clear to Egypt and Europe what we expect in return. We also need to figure out how to enforce such a requirement. EG, if Europe doesn't remunerate, then what? If the US successfully restores freedom of navigation at great cost there needs to be some further economic gain extracted in return."
Pete Hegseth: "Agree."