Trump authorized Soleimani's killing 7 months ago, with conditions

[Calista241]

Source: NBC News

President Donald Trump authorized the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani seven months ago if Iran's increased aggression resulted in the death of an American, according to five current and former senior administration officials.

The presidential directive in June came with the condition that Trump would have final signoff on any specific operation to kill Soleimani, officials said.

That decision explains why assassinating Soleimani was on the menu of options that the military presented to Trump two weeks ago for responding to an attack by Iranian proxies in Iraq, in which a U.S. contractor was killed and four U.S. service members were wounded, the officials said.

The timing, however, could undermine the Trump administration's stated justification for ordering the U.S. drone strike that killed Soleimani in Baghdad on Jan. 3. Officials have said Soleimani, the leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, was planning imminent attacks on Americans and had to be stopped.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-authorized-soleimani-s-killing-7-months-ago-conditions-n1113271?cid=sm_npd_ms_tw_ma

[C_U_L8R]

1. It's been all lies. This was a preplanned assassination.

Trump should not only be impeached again for this... he needs to be tried for murder.

[Pachamama]

2. Lies, lies, lies and more lies

Is anybody surprised? The US has an IMPotus who has lied with documented lies over 15K since taking office 3 years ago, is now impeached for life and wants to start a war to distract from his trial and to be a War President and he also may be on the sidetake from Saudi Arabia and UAE.

Expect an increase in the number of lies about why Soleimani was killed and don’t be surprised if he starts some new attacks on Iran and full out hot War.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Did the President at any point in this continuum understand what he was doing?

To ask the question is to answer it.

[Hoyt]

4. Honestly, I doubt this revelation will hurt trump. It probably helps him as

far as the attack on Soleimani goes.

I’d prefer we get out of Middle East, but I’m not sure we’ll get much agreement on Soleimani, other than those of us who absolutely despise the Racist-in-Chief.

[rockfordfile]

5. It was done to try divert impeachment. Simple as that

[pwb]

6. I hope that general haunts trump.

Forever.

[jmowreader]

7. Trump goes to sleep at night and dreams fond dreams of Soleimani's death

Trump is a psychopath. He's not a "narcissist" or a "bully." He is a full-bore psychopath. Soleimani's death pleases him greatly.