Posted on 06/21/2019 7:22:23 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
For some, you could hear the sound of war drums. It was coming. Iran had shot down a surveillance drone in international waters. President Trump did not mince words, saying Iran made a huge mistake, though was cagey about military action. He told the press “you’ll find out” when asked. President Trump has taken action before, firing cruise missiles at an airfield in Syria in 2017 after a horrible chemical weapons attack struck the town of Khan Shaykhun. The airfield was the staging ground. Reports trickled in last night that air strikes were ordered against Iran but were halted by Trump. We didn’t know why, but earlier this morning the president tweeted that he aborted the mission because the retaliatory strikes were not proportionate (via WaPo):
EXCLUSIVE: Iran received message from U.S. President Trump via Oman overnight warning of imminent attack on Iran - Iranian government officials pic.twitter.com/kzV1S1MCHC— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) June 21, 2019
....On Monday they shot down an unmanned drone flying in International Waters. We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a General. 10 minutes before the strike I stopped it, not....— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2019
....proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone. I am in no hurry, our Military is rebuilt, new, and ready to go, by far the best in the world. Sanctions are biting & more added last night. Iran can NEVER have Nuclear Weapons, not against the USA, and not against the WORLD!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2019
President Trump ordered an attack on Iran on Thursday in retaliation for the downing of a surveillance drone in the Strait of Hormuz but called the operation off just before it was due to occur because it would have caused extensive casualties, he said Friday.
In a series of morning tweets, Trump said he called off strikes on three Iranian sites minutes before they were to be launched because he was informed of the likely loss of life among Iranians.
“We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die,” Trump tweeted. “150 people, sir, was the answer from a General. 10 minutes before the strike I stopped it.”
Such a death toll was “not proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone,” Trump wrote, adding: “I am in no hurry, our Military is rebuilt, new, and ready to go, by far the best in the world.
212 4:07 AM - Jun 21, 2019 379 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy
Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump · 1h Replying to @realDonaldTrump ....Death to America. I terminated deal, which was not even ratified by Congress, and imposed strong sanctions. They are a much weakened nation today than at the beginning of my Presidency, when they were causing major problems throughout the Middle East. Now they are Bust!....
Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump ....On Monday they shot down an unmanned drone flying in International Waters. We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a General. 10 minutes before the strike I stopped it, not....
33.4K 9:03 AM - Jun 21, 2019
Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump Replying to @realDonaldTrump ....proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone. I am in no hurry, our Military is rebuilt, new, and ready to go, by far the best in the world. Sanctions are biting & more added last night. Iran can NEVER have Nuclear Weapons, not against the USA, and not against the WORLD!
40.2K 9:03 AM - Jun 21, 2019
A respectable position, IMO.
But I don’t like “proportionate”. In my opinion in a 9/11 type of incident, if Iran managed to kill (let’s say) 3000 Americans, I would support bombing Tehran with the goal of killing over 100,000. Seriously. The notion of “proportionate” only goes so far. Step beyond the unmanned drone, and we need to be able to think more broadly about response.
So much for “fake news.”
Seems reasonable. Patience frequently can pay very big dividends. In before my trigger-happy FRiends.
WH “doves” are winning. It’s 1983 all over again.
Pelosi recently implied that Iran was an ally of the U.S. because of Obama’s nuclear deal with them, and it’s Trump’s fault for backing out of it. Do the Dems really want an ally that’s the #1 sponsor of international terrorism?
If the president wants proportionate retaliation, all he needs to do is exercise his Twitter finger with informative tweets aimed at the right targets. And there’s a target rich environment at his disposal.
Then keep tweeting until his objective is achieved.
I for one am glad we’re not going to war over an unmanned drone. I like that Trump isn’t a typical neocon warmonger Republican
Khobar Towers.
Beirut Barracks.
> Pelosi recently implied that Iran was an ally
What “ally” would chant Ddeath to America!” over and over again at every single political rally?
It’s like their “pledge of allegiance” to the Iranian state.
No response is not an appropriate response to Iran destroying our 250 million dollar airplane.
Bomb some unmanned facility worth 250 million dollars if you’re worried about casualties being disproportionate.
Exactly, he isn't going to fall for that bait.
Good.
Last night I was completely wrong about this story. Looks like the NYT got it right. We’ll see what else comes out.
If you think all Iran ever did in the name of Jihad was shoot this one drone down then you are being an idiot.
Note to POTUS: Sir, how much did that drone cost? 9 figs? I can think of a well-worded tweet that would cost the Iranians that much.
Well, maybe “proportionate” can still include a multiplier. IOW, maybe the proportionate response to a drone shot down is to destroy 30 of their fighter planes on a runway. But maybe killing 150 people is disproportionate. Of course then the question would be, why not have the generals come up with options for a more proportionate response rather than calling the whole thing off.
Just thinking out loud here...
Not proportionate for this specific incidence. But shooting down this drone needs to be placed into perspective with Iran being responsible for many American deaths over the years, in Iraq, terrorist actions and otherwise. That case needs to be made with the citizens so that next time there is something similar to the drone attack happens, we won’t feel restrained by the fact that no one died. A whole lot more than 150 Americans have died at the hands of the Iranians over the years.
“WH “doves” are winning.”
Do you really think so? I have a hard time identifying anyone who Trump takes advice from, and I am sure none that is not solicited.
It seems to me that it is mostly the same people who believe that Zero was an evil-genius mastermind, are those who believe that DJT is a helpless puppet of those who bend his ear.
I get completely the opposite impression.
[[Last night I was completely wrong about this story. Looks like the NYT got it right. We’ll see what else comes out.]]
Strategic leak. Trump is playing the media and Iran.
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