Top American military officials put the option of killing him — which they viewed as the most extreme response to recent Iranian-led violence in Iraq — on the menu they presented to President Donald Trump. They didn’t think he would take it.
WASHINGTON — In the chaotic days leading to the death of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s most powerful commander, top American military officials put the option of killing him — which they viewed as the most extreme response to recent Iranian-led violence in Iraq — on the menu they presented to President Donald Trump.
Trump made the decision, senior officials said Saturday, despite disputes in the administration about the significance of what some officials said was a new stream of intelligence that warned of threats to U.S. embassies, consulates and military personnel in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Soleimani had just completed a tour of his forces in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, and was planning an “imminent” attack that could claim hundreds of lives, those officials said.
Story continuesSecretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence were two of the most hawkish voices arguing for a response to Iranian aggression, according to administration officials. Pence’s office helped ride herd on meetings and conference calls held by officials in the run-up to the strike.
Other officials said it was unclear whether Iran was dispersing its ballistic missile units — the heart of the Iranian military — to avoid an American attack or was mobilizing the units for a major strike against U.S. targets or allies in the region in retaliation for Soleimani’s death. But administration officials are playing down Soleimani’s status as a part of the Iranian state, suggesting his title gave him cover for terrorist activities. In the days since his death, they have sought to describe the strike as more in line with the killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Islamic State leader, who died in October in an American commando raid in Syria.
The options included strikes on Iranian ships or missile facilities or against Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq. The Pentagon also tacked on the choice of targeting Soleimani, mainly to make other options seem reasonable.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Analysis: Can Iran and US de-escalate tensions after Soleimani killing?Iran has promised revenge for the killing of top military commander Qassem Soleimani. The Islamic Republic’s response will be carefully calculated, but could lead to spiralling violence.
Read more »
Iran fully withdrawing from 2015 nuclear deal amid tensions with US - Business InsiderIran is withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, a move that could be perceived as the country taking a big step toward obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Read more »
Gulf markets plunge on U.S.-Iran tensions, Aramco hits lowest since IPOGulf stocks fell sharply in late afternoon trade on Sunday, with Kuwaiti and Sau...
Read more »
Pope calls for dialogue and restraint amid growing US-Iran tensionsPope Francis called on Sunday for dialogue and restraint two days after the kill...
Read more »