Iran Fires Missiles at U.S. Forces in Iraq

[whag]

Trump is getting ready to address the nation. Live Stream:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbT_6864Ouo

I see he has his teleprompter ready.

[Cow Poke]

I see he has his teleprompter ready.

That's kinda like a Baptist preacher's watch --- once he gets going, he forgets it's there.

[Cow Poke]

I thought he did just fine... reinforced that we have plenty of options for lethal force, but also that we do not want to use that force -- talked about how great Iran can be, and wished them success, blah blah blah....

I'm glad he didn't stray from the script, and I'm glad he thankyouthankyouthankyou'd then left without this turning into a Q&A yelling match.

He has broadcast* to Iran and the world that we don't want to escalate.

Ball is in Iran's court.




*can that be used as a past tense, or does it need 'ed'?

[Ronson]

Yes, that was fine. More low-key than I thought he would be.

Nothing more from the US unless Iran decides to continue.

[Cow Poke]

Yes, that was fine. More low-key than I thought he would be.

Nothing more from the US unless Iran decides to continue.

The way he laid it out, though, really puts the onus on Iran to behave --- if they do something additional now, it will look very antagonistic.

They need to accept the off-ramp.

[Sparko]

The way he laid it out, though, really puts the onus on Iran to behave --- if they do something additional now, it will look very antagonistic.

They need to accept the off-ramp.

He also urged Europe and the rest of the world to stop coddling Iran and get out of the nuclear deal. And he said that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon while he is President. A not so subtle threat?

He looked really tired too. I bet he hasn't had any sleep.

[Mountain Man]

That's kinda like a Baptist preacher's watch --- once he gets going, he forgets it's there.

One of my least favorites preachers would start saying, "Now pay attention, I'm almost done!" 20-minutes into a sermon and then periodically repeat the statement throughout the next two-hours.

[Mountain Man]

Yes, that was fine. More low-key than I thought he would be.

Nothing more from the US unless Iran decides to continue.

That kind of measured response is exactly what I expected from Trump. Despite what liberals would have you believe, he's actually not an idiot.

[RumTumTugger]

Not much of a Mennonite, eh?

Did MM ever say he was a Mennonite?

[RumTumTugger]

He also urged Europe and the rest of the world to stop coddling Iran and get out of the nuclear deal. And he said that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon while he is President. A not so subtle threat?

He looked really tired too. I bet he hasn't had any sleep.

today's address to the nation by President Trump.

[whag]

That kind of measured response is exactly what I expected from Trump. Despite what liberals would have you believe, he's actually not an idiot.

That’s weird that you expect measured responses from a man who rarely gives measured responses.

[Cow Poke]

One of my least favorites preachers would start saying, "Now pay attention, I'm almost done!" 20-minutes into a sermon and then periodically repeat the statement throughout the next two-hours.

Yeah, I'm particularly careful on my use of and reference to time in such a situation.

[rogue06]

Yeah either Iran's missiles aren't very accurate or else this was done to make a statement.

Looking more and more like the latter. IOW, the missile attack was nothing but an impotent face-saving measure. They had to put on a show for their people.

Apparently they gave the Iraqi government a head's up of when and where the attack would be knowing full well that information would quickly make it to U.S. officials. One report I heard during the news on the radio said they are telling their people that they killed 20 Americans during their little fireworks show.

So as we stand at the moment this looks like a big win for the U.S. A virtual grand slam home run. Of course, this can still quickly change if say next week or so they set of an EMP bomb in a major U.S. city or something. And it'll doubtfully curb the asymmetrical war that they've been waging against us for the last 40 years. So despite boasts that they won't use proxies but instead retaliate themselves it seems safe to say that any strikes on Americans in the future will be by proxies.

[rogue06]

That’s weird that you expect measured responses from a man who rarely gives measured responses.

He's not talking about rhetoric but actual actions.

[Cow Poke]

Looking more and more like the latter. IOW, the missile attack was nothing but an impotent face-saving measure. They had to put on a show for their people.

Apparently they gave the Iraqi government a head's up of when and where the attack would be knowing full well that information would quickly make it to U.S. officials. One report I heard during the news on the radio said they are telling their people that they killed 20 Americans during their little fireworks show.

So as we stand at the moment this looks like a big win for the U.S. A virtual grand slam home run. Of course, this can still quickly change if say next week or so they set of an EMP bomb in a major U.S. city or something. And it'll doubtfully curb the asymmetrical war that they've been waging against us for the last 40 years. So despite boasts that they won't use proxies but instead retaliate themselves it seems safe to say that any strikes on Americans in the future will be by proxies.

From yesterday morning...

Meh, it's sounding more and more like Iran has to "do something" to appease their faithful, so they launched a bunch of missiles, then snorted "there, we showed you".

It hurts to be this smart.