It appears to represent a bet that Iran, faced by a decisive U.S. military action, will back down, not escalate. To heighten the political risk, Trump appears to have acted without advance consultation with Congress, breaking with long-standing practice. “The Administration has conducted tonight’s strikes in Iraq targeting high-level Iranian military officials and killing Iranian Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani without an Authorization for Use of Military Force against Iran. “This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans.”AdvertisementCritics, however, accused Trump of recklessness. “President Trump just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox,” former Vice President Joe Biden said in a statement.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 03, 2020 06:33 UTC