US Confronts Dangers From "Not Very Good" Iran-Backed Rebels

Still, U.S. commanders have a long history of putting on a brave face before their troops. Austin is a retired four-star general who served on the ground in Iraq, himself coming under fire.

More than a month before a deadly drone strike that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sought to reassure U.S. troops about the military's ability to withstand attacks by Iran-backed rebels.

Austin, in previously unpublished remarks to sailors aboard the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier on Dec. 20, said the number one reason the group had failed to that point was that "they're not very good at what they do."

"Every day, Iranian proxies are shooting at our troops that are in Iraq and Syria. They haven't been effective at all because (of) two reasons: Number one, they're not very good at what they do," Austin told the crew.