Pelosi says Trump carried out strike on Iranian commander without authorization and she wants detail

[nitpicker]

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/pelosi-says-trump-carried-out-strike-iranian-commander-without-authorization-n1109831

Pelosi says Trump carried out strike on Iranian commander without authorization and she wants details

Jan. 3, 2020, 1:40 AM EST

By Phil Helsel

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling on the Trump administration to immediately brief lawmakers on the U.S. airstrike that killed a top Iranian commander in Iraq and what the White House plans to do next.
(snip)

"Tonight's airstrike risks provoking further dangerous escalation of violence. America — and the world — cannot afford to have tensions escalate to the point of no return," Pelosi said in a statement late Thursday.

The strike was carried out without an "authorization for use of military force" against Iran and without the consultation of Congress, the speaker said.

"The full Congress must be immediately briefed on this serious situation and on the next steps under consideration by the Administration, including the significant escalation of the deployment of additional troops to the region," Pelosi said.
(snip)

[secondwind]

1. Thank you Nancy!!

[2naSalit]

2. K&R

[Aussie105]

3. Killing a foreign military leader in a country not his homeland is a bad look.

Especially if it was a Trump 'look over there, not here!' effort without proper checks-and-balances.

Of course, the white house and press will talk up this executed leader as the devil incarnate, someone who did Evil, and the World is a better place without him.
But how much of this is hype, and if he was that evil and influential, why have we not heard of this man before?

Major-General Qassem Soleimani, for anyone who wants to Google.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/who-was-major-general-qassim-suleimani-6197535/

"Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi condemned the "assassination" of Soleimani and al-Muhandis. The air strike on Baghdad airport is an act of aggression on Iraq and breach of its sovereignty that will lead to war in Iraq, the region, and the world, he said in a statement.
The strike also violated the conditions of US military presence in Iraq and should be met with legislation that safeguards Iraq's security and sovereignty, he added. He called on parliament to convene in an extraordinary session."

Expect some negative feedback from both Iraq and Iran.

[CrispyQ]

28. This: "...and if he was that evil and influential, why have we not heard of this man before?"

This is exactly what I said to my husband this morning. The adults in the country see this for the distraction that it is, while cult 45 is jazzed that the Con is making America great again. Every day I have less and less respect for those I know who still support this man and also those who still identify with the republican party. It's gonna leave a mark.

[duforsure]

4. Will she expose who's really behind this?

I suspect putin , and he could have his hackers attack our infrastructure systems for trump to then blame Iran for it to escalate this even more, and to profit from it, and to water down impeachment headlines, or against really damming things to be exposed very soon from holding the news cycle. Are putin and trump also manipulating the stock market for profits? This smells to high heaven they are intentionally doing this for themselves I think putin wants revenge for what the US did to them and their country economically in the past, and he's using trump to do it with things to weaken and hurt ours now. Remember they don't have money for our social programs and health care but watch how quickly they'll jack up trillions , which billions will be directed into their pockets , causing the deficit to skyrocket upward even more. Is this being staged by putin for trump? The patterns they've used before looks like it , again, and the media being used to promote it for them now. Classic redirection and media manipulation away from impeachment on the headlines daily.

[gab13by13]

5. I suspect Bibi.

[GoCubsGo]

15. Probably Bolton.

See the thread about Rick Wilson's tweet: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212834057

[Hugin]

24. Yeah, the only question you have to ask yourself is who has the IPOTUS* talked to...

on his unsecured tweet-o-phone from Mar-A-Loco the most recently.

Lately, the answer is always, Rootin' Tootin' Putin.

[Fla Dem]

25. Lindsay Graham. Hawk and golfed with Trump Monday.

[Lonestarblue]

6. Qasem Soleimani's death is state-sponsored assassination.

Trump had a top leader of another country killed when we are not at war with that country. How is this not an international crime? And what’s to prevent Iran from assassinating one of our leaders, or even Trump himself, in retaliation?

[Aussie105]

8. It's happened before

The US feels free to go in uninvited and kill the Bad Guys. (*)

Osama Bin Laden?
Saddam Hussein?

This time it may go badly.

(*) Lots of Bad Guys in the world, so little time. So few Remote Controlled Weapons of Mass Destruction.

[orangecrush]

7. Autocrats don't have to brief anyone.

That's officially where we are now.

[Aussie105]

10. The privilege of being Top Dog?

When you have the best equipped Army in the World, you need not answer to anyone.

But yes, other countries - polite ones - may think you are being a bully, while others - less polite ones - may wish to rain Death and Destruction indiscriminately on large parts of the US.

[orangecrush]

22. Soleimani's tradecraft must have sucked

Either that, or he thought he was drone proof.

Strange lapse for a "Special Operations General" and spymaster.

[LiberalLovinLug]

9. War with Iran is inevitable

Perhaps Trump didn't want it originally. He likes to make money and unlike Cheney and Bush, he has no oil holdings.
But like a cornered rat he will initiate a war in order to stay in power. All he needs is another 10% support to win in 2020
If this doesn't poke them to respond back and give him the excuse, he'll authorize another stronger poke.

Democrats should be preparing already for how we can still win in November facing a "support the troops" war President.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

16. But tRump promised his voters he wouldn't get them into another war! . . . nt

[BlancheSplanchnik]

19. Psssh. 🙄

Not 🙄 at you, Bernardo de La Paz! 🙄at the “true believers”.

[rainy]

11. Medea Benjamin is an expert on Middle East happenings and a very brave woman who is not afraid to

speak the truth!

Link to tweet

?s=20

[Pachamama]

12. I will put money on the likelihood that Suleimani was on his way to an arranged negotiation with US

&/or Iraqi officials and Trump used this info and ordered his assassination.


This was a set up

[PJMcK]

13. And from Republicans we hear...

... nothing.

[erlewyne]

14. This thread makes me feel better

because Nancy and the respondents of ths thread are in agreement
with me. I still feel devastated. I have children and grandchildren
and so far three have have served (one currently) but we
are not fighting to line the pockets of the .1 %. We serve
our country for democracy and freedom for everyone.

[HissyFit]

17. So...

We openly admit to the assassination of a card-carrying, on-the-payroll General in the Iranian Military?

As Aussie105 said above: "Expect some negative feedback..."

[panfluteman]

18. Yet Another Article of Impeachment?

The latest quid pro quo: giving John Bolton what he always wanted - a regime change war with Iran - in exchange for his silence in the impeachment trial; otherwise, Bolton would be quite inclined to sing like a canary.

And yet another illegal, criminal act by this illegitimate president. It seems like Trump has never done a single thing legally, by the book since he entered the white house. Or at least the ratio is 10 to 1 for illegal to legal - maybe even 100 to 1.

[Timmygoat]

20. A perfect time

For those two worthless sons of Trump to get into the military and find out what it is like.

[bucolic_frolic]

21. Trump's action shakes up power balance in Mid-East

is Trump prepared for the consequences? No nation would take this lying down.

[in2herbs]

23. If Pelosi is right and Congress should have been advised prior to any action it only goes to prove

that we can't trust our military leaders to tell trump "no" if he wants to push the nuclear button.

[C_U_L8R]

26. Immediately haul everyone involved before Congress

and cut their funding if they don't comply. Enough of this Trumpian bullshit.

[Firestorm49]

27. Thanks, Nancy. Go for the throat!

[Timmygoat]

29. Does anyone else remember

When Obama was president and going for re-election, Trump's favorite saying was 'he will probably start a war to get re-elected.