Statement from Seth Bodnar on Reporting Showing Destruction at U.S. Bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait

MISSOULA, MT — Former Green Beret and Independent candidate for U.S. Senate Seth Bodnar today released the following statement in response to CBS News reporting showing extensive destruction of buildings, vehicles, and aircraft at U.S. military positions in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait:

"The images coming out of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait showing destroyed American aircraft, military vehicles, and facilities are enraging. They are a stark and costly reminder of what happens when civilian leaders commit American troops without a clear strategy and without congressional authorization.

"I spent over a decade on active duty in the U.S. Army. I commanded a rifle platoon in Mosul, led a Special Forces team as a Green Beret, and served as Special Assistant to the Commanding General in Iraq. I saw firsthand how top-level military decision-making directly impacts the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines on the ground.

"I know what a broken mission looks like.

"A broken mission happens when civilian leaders act out of arrogance rather than sound strategy. It happens when decisions are made without thinking three, four, or five steps ahead about supply lines, troop defense, and realistic outcomes. When leaders launch or escalate a conflict without a strategy or an off-ramp, our men and women in uniform pay the price. Put plainly, this administration’s war in Iran is a broken mission. 

"Meanwhile, the United States Congress has completely abdicated its constitutional responsibility. Congress is supposed to serve as a check on executive war-making, asking the hard questions before our troops are placed in harm’s way. Instead, blind partisan loyalty and political cowardice have led to silence while our positions are struck and our service members remain exposed.

"Montanans and the American people deserve full transparency from the administration and immediate accountability from Congress. We also need leaders in the U.S. Senate who understand the weight of command responsibility, who aren't afraid to demand answers, and who will always put the safety, security, and strategic clarity of our nation ahead of partisanship.”

Seth Bodnar is a Green Beret, business leader, and former president of the University of Montana running for the U.S. Senate to be an independent voice for Montana. Seth is guided by a lifelong commitment to duty, honor, and country. He graduated first in his class at West Point and served multiple overseas deployments, leading soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division and the 1st Special Forces Group, and serving as a special advisor to the commanding general in Iraq. After his military service and a successful career in business, Seth spent the last eight years leading the University of Montana. Under his leadership, the university achieved record high graduation rates, doubled research funding, launched the largest infrastructure renewal in campus history, restored financial stability, and was named the #1 military-friendly university in the country. Raised by two public school teachers, he believes leadership is about service, not party loyalty. Seth and his wife, a fifth-generation Montanan, are raising their three children in Montana.

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