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A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 7 January 2020

U.S. braces for Iranian response: a 'tit for tat' assault?

By LOLITA BALDOR, ROBERT Gulf at that point, and in
BURNS and ZEKE MILLER July it worked out an ar-
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. rangement with the gov-
officials on Monday braced ernment of Saudi Arabia to
for Iran to respond to the send U.S. forces to a large
killing of its most power- base deep in the Saudi des-
ful general, noting height- ert, in less obvious range of
ened military readiness in Iranian missiles.
the country and preparing The main hub for Ameri-
for a possible "tit-for-tat" can military air operations
attempt on the life of an throughout the Middle
American military com- East is located at al-Udeid
mander. air base in Qatar – within
President Donald Trump easy range of Iranian mis-
ordered the Jan. 2 strike siles. American forces also
against Gen. Qassem So- are stationed in the United
leimani, the head of Iran's Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
elite Quds Force, after the The Navy's 5th Fleet, which
death of an American con- operates throughout the
tractor in Iraq. Now, as the region, is based at Bahrain.
massive demonstrations of Meanwhile on Capitol Hil
Iran's public mourning pe- in the U.S.l, Democrats
riod for Soleimani come Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, hands off the microphone to Secretary of Defense Mark prepared largely symbolic
to a close, officials believe Esper to deliver a statement on Iraq and Syria, at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property, resolutions under the War
the next steps by America' Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, in Palm Beach, Fla. Powers Act to limit the
longtime foe will determine Associated Press president's military actions
the ultimate course of the regarding Iran. In a letter to
latest crisis. Soleimani's death, which ments on Sunday that the forces, particularly in Iraq. House Democrats, Speaker
While officials say Ameri- has sparked major protests, U.S. was targeting Iran's Officials said a number of Nancy Pelosi called the air-
can intelligence isn't clear further nuclear develop- "actual decision-makers" the recently deployed sol- strike on Soleimani "provoc-
on whether Iran's latest mili- ment and new threats of rather than its network of diers from the 1st Brigade of ative and disproportionate"
tary moves are designed to violence, has raised the proxy allies. Trump has re- the 82nd Airborne Division and said it had "endan-
bolster Tehran's defenses prospect of a wide and un- peatedly contended that had moved into Iraq from gered our servicemembers,
or prepare for an offensive predictable conflict in the he is not seeking "regime Kuwait in order to increase diplomats and others by
strike, the U.S. is continuing Middle East and escalated change" in Iran, as has security for Americans risking a serious escalation
to reinforce its own posi- tensions between Iran and been pushed by some of there. The U.S. military has of tensions with Iran."
tions in the region, includ- the U.S. his more hawkish advisers. stopped all training of Iraqi Congress, which has the
ing repositioning some The two nations have ca- Still, Trump's strike against forces to focus on force sole power to declare
forces. One official said the reened from one flare-up Soleimani, a revered fig- protection, officials said. war, has complained that
U.S. anticipated a "major" to another since Trump be- ure in Iran whose death As of Monday, officials Trump did not provide ad-
attack of some type within gan his "maximum pressure" sparked large displays of said, there had not been vance notice of his airstrike
the next day or two. campaign against Iran anger and grief, was a risky a broadly distributed order in Baghdad. Trump did
On Monday, Defense Sec- shortly after taking office. decision his Republican or recommendation to in- meet the 48-hour deadline
retary Mark Esper said no He abrogated the 2015 nu- and Democratic predeces- crease security at military required by the War Powers
decision had been made clear deal and reimposed sors opted not to take out installations worldwide. Act to notify Congress after
about withdrawing troops crushing economic sanc- of concern it would draw Instead, decisions were the deadly drone strike. The
from Iraq. Pro-Iranian fac- tions, both steps aimed at the U.S. and Iran closer to being left up to the com- document was classified,
tions in the Iraqi Parliament preventing Iran from get- conflict. manders. and no public version was
have pushed to oust Ameri- ting a nuclear weapon U.S. officials are also aware The U.S. military's concern released.
can troops following Solei- and deterring the sort of that Iran could try to strike a about its vulnerability to Ira- Senators will receive a
mani's killing on Iraqi soil. Es- regional aggression spear- high-level American leader nian attack in the Persian briefing Wednesday on
per spoke to reporters after headed by Soleimani. in a "tit-for-tat" move, po- Gulf region has been at the situation, according to
a letter from a U.S. Marine Two U.S. officials, speaking tentially a military com- a heightened state since a person familiar with the
general circulated that on condition of anonymity mander. about May, when the ad- meeting. Pompeo, Esper,
seemed to suggest a with- to discuss internal discus- One official said some Ira- ministration reported it was CIA Director Gina Haspel
drawal had been ordered sions, said targeting Solei- nian ships have spread out, getting intelligence indica- and Army Gen. Mark Mil-
in response to a vote by the mani was not representa- and while the intent isn't im- tions that Iran was planning ley, chairman of the Joint
Iraqi Parliament over the tive of a wholesale shift in mediately clear, they could attacks on U.S. interests in Chiefs of Staff, are expect-
weekend. "There's been American policy toward move rapidly to attack. Iraq and elsewhere in the ed to speak. The House
no decision whatsoever to Iran, despite Secretary of The U.S. military has in- region. The Pentagon sent is also expected to be
leave Iraq," Esper said. State Mike Pompeo's com- creased protection of its additional forces to the briefed this week.q