Trump Approves Strikes on Iran, but Then Abruptly Pulls Back

[applegrove]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/20/world/middleeast/iran-us-drone.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

By Michael D. Shear, Eric Schmitt, Michael Crowley and Maggie Haberman at the NY Times

"SNIP......

WASHINGTON — President Trump approved military strikes against Iran in retaliation for downing an American surveillance drone, but pulled back from launching them on Thursday night after a day of escalating tensions.

As late as 7 p.m., military and diplomatic officials were expecting a strike, after intense discussions and debate at the White House among the president’s top national security officials and congressional leaders, according to multiple senior administration officials involved in or briefed on the deliberations.

Officials said the president had initially approved attacks on a handful of Iranian targets, like radar and missile batteries.

The operation was underway in its early stages when it was called off, a senior administration official said. Planes were in the air and ships were in position, but no missiles had been fired when word came to stand down, the official said.


......SNIP"

[oldtime dfl_er]

1. did vlad call?

.

[applegrove]

4. Right on. Could have happened:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-iran-usa-putin/putin-says-us-attack-on-iran-would-be-a-catastrophe-idUSKCN1TL1JX

[Captain Zero]

6. maybe he told dumb Donnie

he had info for him. If the Iranians could shoot down our latest drone, they can shoot down our latest jet fighter-bombers ?

[applegrove]

2. Pretty scary.

[Doreen]

3. They threatened to bomb Mar-A-Lago and

all of his golf properties instead of tho poor stupid citizens of the U.S.A.

[elevator48]

5. Trump also demanded the immediate, unconditional release of the drone pilot.

Iran taken aback withheld comment.

[sop]

7. Someone likely called the Joint Chiefs and told them Trump was starting a war,

so they rushed down to the WH situation room, called it off and talked him down.