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
Michigan woman arrested for allegedly starving, torturing disabled sister-in-law she locked in basement
South Carolina pastor, wife arrested after alleged sexual, physical abuse of foster children
Dem lawmaker calls for TSA to bring back shoes-off airport security policy
Former Fort Bragg employee charged with leaking classified military information to journalist
Wisconsin couple allegedly starved six children for years, forcing them to eat mold, bugs and dog food
Trump seeks to wipe away entire New York civil fraud judgement
Acting AG Todd Blanche Says DOJ Has Over 8,000 Fraud Cases Underway, And It’s the Tip of the Iceberg
Missouri Incumbents Voted Out a Week After Ignoring Public Pressure on Data Center
Suspect in Iryna Zarutska Killing Declared ‘Incapable to Proceed’ in Murder Trial
BREAKING: FBI Arrests Ex-SOCOM Employee Over Leak to Media 48 Hours After Trump Said Justice Was Coming for Leakers – DEVELOPING
Dem senator ripped for ‘smear’ of female activist advocating for Swalwell’s accusers: ‘Very bad look’
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Fox News Poll: Record number say taxes are too high; government spending seen as wasteful
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.
