The administration is reportedly preparing possible sites for retaliatory strikes or cyber attacks, in case the president leans toward action
Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images There’s good news and bad news for Americans who want to avoid a catastrophic conflict with the world’s eighth-largest army. Lowering the blood pressure of pacifists everywhere, Trump reportedly isn’t interested in a strike on Iran following an attack on a Saudi oil facility that may still potentially put a major dent in the market.
In a national security meeting on Monday, U.S. military leaders provided President Donald Trump with a menu of possible actions against Iran. But the president, seeking a narrowly focused response that wouldn’t draw the U.S. into broader military conflict with Iran, asked for more options, people briefed on the meeting said …In the wake of Sunday’s attack, U.S. military planners have revisited a long-identified list of potential Iranian targets that could constitute a proportional response.
Unlike the president’s claim on Monday that the U.S. military is essentially a mercenary force sold to the highest bidder on the Arabian peninsula, NBC reports that the administration is considering a plan in which the Saudi military would strike Iran, with U.S. forces staying at a proxy distance. To be clear, the report indicates that military action is not imminent, and that “no decision has been made.
Despite the president’s “locked and loaded” posturing, it appears that he is still reluctant to directly engage with Iran. In a report from Politico on Tuesday, Trump does not want military action, as it conflicts with his “campaign vows to reduce foreign entanglements.” But a campaign pledge has never stopped the president before; a more pressing matter he is considering involves a possible recession caused by an Iran conflict, hurting his chances at reelection.
On Monday afternoon, Trump mused: “Do I want war? I don’t want war with anybody. I’m somebody that would like not to have war.” Thankfully, most Americans agree: In a Gallup poll from August, 78 percent of citizens prefer “economic/diplomatic” measures to military ones. At the same time, Trump — ever the mixed messenger — said Monday that “we’re prepared more than anybody.”
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
U.S. points at Iran in Saudi oil strike; Tehran denies allegations and rejects Trump talksGlobal energy prices rise after attack on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, and President Trump warns that the U.S. is 'locked and loaded' to respond.
Read more »
Trump admin weighing retaliatory action against Iran after Saudi oil attackBREAKING: Trump admin. is weighing a range of options for a retaliatory action against Iran, including a cyberattack or physical strike on Iranian oil facilities or Revolutionary Guard assets, US officials and others briefed tell NBCNews.
Read more »
Trump Confirms That It Was Iran Or Some Country Like That Behind Saudi Oil AttacksWASHINGTON—Addressing the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia that took out more than half that nation’s oil production capacity, President Trump told reporters Tuesday the precision-targeted bombings were a major act of aggression by Iran or some country like that. “The primary actor behind the strike on our Saudi allies was definitely Iran or one of those countries in that same part of the world—someplace with a lot of deserts, a lot of Muslims, a lot of guys with beards,” Trump said to members of the White House press corps, adding, “Syria maybe? Jordan?” before his voice dropped off to an inaudible mumble. “The American people can trust we will take swift action against...Qatar? No, that’s not it. We’re pretty sure Saudi Arabia didn’t do it, because why would they? Why would you bomb your own oil refineries? Then again, you never know. You never can tell. What do you guys think?” The president later clarified that the United States would bomb whichever country the Saudis paid it to bomb.
Read more »
Trump leans against striking IranConfidants say the president may talk tough, but he’s deeply reluctant to drag the United States into a fresh war in the Middle East.
Read more »
Iran rules out talks as Trump blames Tehran for Saudi oil attackIran's statement comes as US officials have indicated that Iran was the staging ground for devastating drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil installations, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Read more »
Trump is trapped between two impulses on IranPresident Trump is stuck in a political box -- largely of his own making -- on Iran, a predicament that becomes more intractable with each alarming cycle of escalation | Analysis by stcollinson
Read more »