The New York Times reported Thursday evening that President Donald Trump ordered air and naval strikes against Iranian targets in response to the shooting down of a U.S. Navy drone earlier that day, but canceled them “abruptly.”
The Times reported:
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.
…
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.
…
It was not clear whether Mr. Trump simply changed his mind on the strikes or whether the administration altered course because of logistics or strategy. It was also not clear whether the attacks might still go forward.
The Times added a curious detail: “No government officials asked The New York Times to withhold the article.”
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Trump’s critics accused him of “cold feet.” But the fact that the administration did not try to stop the story also suggests it could have been leaked deliberately. Indeed, at least one other reporter claimed he had received similar information:
.@nytimes scooping me again. I was sitting on this information for six hours. Can confirm this reporting. https://t.co/SLgwuKeAO4
— Jim LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) June 21, 2019
El Sayed celebrates ‘delicious irony’ that ‘habibi’ Vance has to swear him in: ‘Call me senator’
Breaking: Mike Johnson Bows Out as House Republican Leader
Majority of Americans broadly reject socialist ideology even as far left surges to power
Democrats seize majority of governors’ offices in election-night shift
Scott Jennings Highlights the ‘Silver Lining’ Hidden in Republicans’ Midterm Disaster
Crashed Learjet Audio Recorded Months Ago Captured Exasperated ATC Ordering Male, Female Pilots to Correct Flight Maneuver
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Meet the far-left socialists coming to Congress next year
Former Republican Kevin Kiley loses to Richard Pan in California’s 6th District
Blue wave sweeps Democrats into power and more top headlines
Nawrocki urgently seeking US troops in Poland amid high court ‘coup d’etat’ supported by EU
El-Sayed mocks Trump, Vance and Rogers in gloating victory speech signaling combative tone in Senate
Dem AG pulls off upset of sitting Republican governor after blistering campaign in key swing state
Abdul el Sayed defeats Mike Rogers in Michigan race, poised to become first Muslim senator
Trump tweeted Thursday morning that “Iran made a very big mistake!”, but later suggested that the “mistake” may have simply been an accident. In the double meaning of the word “mistake,” he preserved both the threat of retaliation and the possibility of a diplomatic solution.
Regardless, Iran will know how close it was to being attacked, and still is.
Story cited here.
