Page 2 - aruba-today-20190622

A2 UP FRONT
Saturday 22 June 2019
After calling off strikes on Iran, Trump suggests patience

By DEB RIECHMANN, LOLI- Tehran in recent weeks,
TA C. BALDOR and ROBERT there is a realization that
BURNS military action, once under
Associated Press way, can quickly lead to
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- unintended consequenc-
dent Donald Trump said Fri- es, including large-scale
day he abruptly called off war.
the swiftly planned military Asked how he was weigh-
strikes on Iran because the ing his options, Trump said
likely deaths of 150 Iranians in a meeting with congres-
would have been so out sional leaders Thursday, "My
of proportion to the shoot- gut," according to a person
down of an unmanned familiar with the exchange.
American surveillance Trump has said repeatedly
drone. He also indicated he does not want war with
he still hopes for talks with Iran, but he has offered
Iranian leaders rather than little insight to his strategy,
any escalation of military beyond inviting Iran's lead-
conflict. ers to call him to reopen
"I am in no hurry," he wrote nuclear negotiations.
on Twitter, adding that in- His administration last year
creasingly severe sanctions pulled out of the 2015 in-
meant to push Iran to the ternational agreement
nuclear negotiating table President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in intended to curb the Ira-
are "biting" the Iranian the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, June 20, 2019, in Washington. nian nuclear program, an
economy. Associated Press agreement he strongly criti-
The aborted attack was a cized as ineffective during
stark reminder of the po- program. surveillance drone over what? They shot down an his presidential campaign.
tential for the escalating Iran on Friday showed no the Strait of Hormuz, Trump unmanned drone, plane — He demanded nego-
tensions of the past year public inclination to nego- alternately denounced it whatever you want to call tiations for a new agree-
between the U.S. and Iran tiate, and it was unclear as a "big mistake" and dis- it — and here we are sitting ment, but there have been
to lead to full-scale con- whether Trump, who said missed it as a "fly in the oint- with 150 dead people. That none. Pressuring Iran, he
flict, even as the president the U.S. military had been ment." would have taken place launched a campaign of
repeatedly insists he does "cocked and loaded" to Iran insisted the U.S. drone probably within a half an increasing economic pres-
not want war and wants to hit Iran, was considering violated Iranian airspace; hour after I said go ahead. sure against the Islamic Re-
negotiate with the Islamic new military options. After Washington said it had And I didn't like it. I didn't public, including cutting off
Republic over its nuclear Iran downed a huge Navy been flying over interna- think it was proportionate." its oil export revenues.
tional waters when it was Trump's assertion that he The current crisis comes at
hit by an Iranian missile. Iran learned only at the last min- a tumultuous moment at
said it recovered debris in ute of his military advisers' the Pentagon, where the
its waters. The U.S. military casualty estimate does not acting secretary of de-
said Friday that although align with the usual way a fense, Patrick Shanahan, is
debris from the destroyed president is briefed on mili- stepping down this week-
drone was spread across tary attack options. An as- end. Mark Esper, the civil-
a wide area, none had yet sessment of the likelihood ian head of the Army, will
been recovered by Ameri- of casualties, whether civil- take over on an interim ba-
can forces, who were en- ian or military, and a broad sis on Monday and will fly to
countering high winds and estimate of the number, NATO headquarters in Brus-
heavy seas. normally are a major ele- sels for meetings this week
In a television interview, ment of each option pro- to discuss the way ahead
Trump said the U.S. was vided to the commander on Iran.
within 10 minutes of con- in chief. Iran addressed the Katie Wheelbarger, a se-
ducting strikes against subject of casualties, too. nior Pentagon policy advis-
Iran on Thursday when he Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, er on international security,
canceled the operation. the head of the Revolu- said Friday the administra-
He told NBC News that he tionary Guard's aerospace tion wants to keep the al-
never gave a final order — division, said Friday that a lies informed, including on
planes were not yet in the U.S. spy plane with around the intelligence information
air but would have been 35 crew members was fly- that prompted the U.S. to
"pretty soon." ing close to the unmanned send an aircraft carrier and
He said military officials U.S. Navy RQ-4A Global other military assets to the
came to him about 30 min- Hawk that was shot down, Gulf region in early May in
utes before the strikes were but that Iran chose not to response to what it called
to be launched and asked target the manned aircraft. heightened Iranian threats.
him for his final approval. He said Iran warned the "It's very important to the
Before signing off, he said drone several times before (defense) department and
he asked how many Ira- downing it with a missile. the U.S. government as a
nians would be killed and The president's decision whole that we make sure
was told approximately to call off the attack is a our allies are as cognizant,
Located at Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort 150. reminder that despite the and that we are as trans-
J.E. Irausquin Blvd. 75, Palm Beach "I thought about it for a sec- escalation in tensions be- parent on this issue as pos-
For more information call 586-6066 ext.7002 ond and I said, 'You know tween Washington and sible," she said.q