pbs--2020-01-05--Pompeo: U.S. is now targeting Iran's 'actual decision-makers'

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday the U.S. strategy in countering Iran is to target the country ’ s “ actual decision-makers ” rather than to focus on Iranian proxy forces in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East .
Pompeo was explaining U.S. strategy in the aftermath of the U.S. drone strike that killed Iran ’ s most powerful general , Qassem Soleimani , who was mastermind of the country ’ s military operations outside Iran .
That killing has sent shock waves across the Middle East , with expectations that Iran will make good on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unpredictable consequences for the U.S. and the rest of the world .
Pompeo spoke on ABC ’ s “ This Week ” amid rising uncertainty about next steps in the U.S.-Iran crisis and the breadth of its ramifications .
The U.S. acknowledged an attack Sunday by an al-Qaida affiliate on a Kenyan airfield used by American military forces .
It was not immediately clear whether there were U.S. casualties .
In Beirut , Lebanon ’ s Hezbollah chief , Hassan Nasrallah , said the U.S. military in the region , including bases and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing of Soleimani .
Hezbollah is a primary ally of Iran with broad influence .
The U.S. has tens of thousands of troops throughout the region , including in Iraq , Syria , Saudi Arabia , Kuwait and Qatar — all within range of Iran or its proxy militias .
Iraq ’ s parliament on Sunday called for the expulsion of U.S. troops from the country in the wake of the attack in Baghdad that killed Soleimani .
There are 5,200 American forces in Iraq .
At issue is the fate of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq more than four years ago to help in the fight against the Islamic State group .
Meantime , the U.S. coalition combating IS in Iraq and Syria announced that it has “ paused ” training of Iraqi security forces in order to focus on protecting coalition personnel .
Pompeo strongly criticized the Iran policy of the Obama administration , saying it fruitlessly focused on Iranian proxies rather than on Iran itself .
He said the U.S. had previously sought to “ challenge and attack everybody who was running around with an AK-47 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ve made a very different approach .
We ’ ve told the Iranian regime , ‘ Enough .
You can ’ t get away with using proxy forces and think your homeland will be safe and secure.
’ We ’ re going to respond against the actual decision-makers , the people who are causing this threat from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
” In that context , Pompeo said that if the U.S. military were to strike inside Iran , in the event Iran retaliated against America for the Soleimani killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the laws of armed conflict .
“ We ’ ll behave inside the system , ” Pompeo said .
“ We always have and we always will.
” Pompeo was responding to a question about President Donald Trump ’ s assertion Saturday on Twitter that the United States has 52 Iranian targets in its sights , “ some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture.
” Targeting cultural sites is a war crime under the 1954 Hague Convention for the protection of cultural sites .
The U.N. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2017 condemning the destruction of heritage sites .
Attacks by IS and other armed factions in Syria and Iraq prompted that vote .
“ Every target that we strike will be a lawful target , and it will be a target designed with a singular mission — defending and protecting America , ” Pompeo said .
He did not explicitly contradict Trump on targeting cultural sites .
In insisting that any U.S. attacks will be legal , Pompeo said Trump “ was getting to this point ” without making it in his @ @ @

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday the U.S. strategy in countering Iran is to target the country’s “actual decision-makers” rather than to focus on Iranian proxy forces in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East.
Pompeo was explaining U.S. strategy in the aftermath of the U.S. drone strike that killed Iran’s most powerful general, Qassem Soleimani, who was mastermind of the country’s military operations outside Iran. That killing has sent shock waves across the Middle East, with expectations that Iran will make good on its threat to strike back, with unpredictable consequences for the U.S. and the rest of the world.
Pompeo spoke on ABC’s “This Week” amid rising uncertainty about next steps in the U.S.-Iran crisis and the breadth of its ramifications. The U.S. acknowledged an attack Sunday by an al-Qaida affiliate on a Kenyan airfield used by American military forces. It was not immediately clear whether there were U.S. casualties.
In Beirut, Lebanon’s Hezbollah chief, Hassan Nasrallah, said the U.S. military in the region, including bases and warships, were fair targets after the killing of Soleimani. Hezbollah is a primary ally of Iran with broad influence. The U.S. has tens of thousands of troops throughout the region, including in Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar — all within range of Iran or its proxy militias.
Iraq’s parliament on Sunday called for the expulsion of U.S. troops from the country in the wake of the attack in Baghdad that killed Soleimani. There are 5,200 American forces in Iraq. At issue is the fate of the agreement under which Washington sent troops to Iraq more than four years ago to help in the fight against the Islamic State group.
Meantime, the U.S. coalition combating IS in Iraq and Syria announced that it has “paused” training of Iraqi security forces in order to focus on protecting coalition personnel.
Pompeo strongly criticized the Iran policy of the Obama administration, saying it fruitlessly focused on Iranian proxies rather than on Iran itself.
He said the U.S. had previously sought to “challenge and attack everybody who was running around with an AK-47 or a piece of indirect artillery. We’ve made a very different approach. We’ve told the Iranian regime, ‘Enough. You can’t get away with using proxy forces and think your homeland will be safe and secure.’ We’re going to respond against the actual decision-makers, the people who are causing this threat from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
In that context, Pompeo said that if the U.S. military were to strike inside Iran, in the event Iran retaliated against America for the Soleimani killing, those strikes would be legal under the laws of armed conflict.
“We’ll behave inside the system,” Pompeo said. “We always have and we always will.”
Pompeo was responding to a question about President Donald Trump’s assertion Saturday on Twitter that the United States has 52 Iranian targets in its sights, “some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture.”
Targeting cultural sites is a war crime under the 1954 Hague Convention for the protection of cultural sites. The U.N. Security Council also passed unanimously a resolution in 2017 condemning the destruction of heritage sites. Attacks by IS and other armed factions in Syria and Iraq prompted that vote.
“Every target that we strike will be a lawful target, and it will be a target designed with a singular mission — defending and protecting America,” Pompeo said. He did not explicitly contradict Trump on targeting cultural sites. In insisting that any U.S. attacks will be legal, Pompeo said Trump “was getting to this point” without making it in his tweet Saturday.


pbs--2020-01-05--Iran abandons nuclear deal limits after U.S. kills general

TEHRAN , Iran — Iran said Sunday it would no longer abide by any of the limits of its unraveling 2015 nuclear deal with world powers after a U.S. airstrike killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad , abandoning the accord ’ s key provisions that block Tehran from having enough material to build an atomic weapon .
Iran insisted in a state television broadcast it remained open to negotiations with European partners , who so far have been unable to offer Tehran a way to sell its crude oil abroad despite U.S. sanctions .
It also didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t seek a nuclear weapon .
However , the announcement Sunday represents the clearest nuclear proliferation threat yet made by Iran since President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the accord in May 2018 .
It also further raises regional tensions , as Iran ’ s longtime foe Israel has promised never to allow Iran to be able to produce an atomic bomb .
The announcement came Sunday night after another Iranian official said it would consider taking even-harsher steps over the U.S. killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani on Friday .
Hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday in Iran to walk alongside a casket carrying the remains of Soleimani , the former leader of its expeditionary Quds Force that organizes Tehran ’ s proxy forces in the wider Mideast .
The leader of one such proxy , Lebanon ’ s Hezbollah , said Soleimani ’ s killing made U.S. military bases , warships and service members spread across the region fair targets for attacks .
A former Revolutionary Guard leader suggested the Israeli city of Haifa and “ centers ” like Tel Aviv could be targeted .
Iran ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Hassan Rouhani ’ s administration saying the country will not observe limitations on its enrichment , the amount of stockpiled enriched uranium as well as research and development in its nuclear activities .
“ The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has in a statement announced its fifth and final step in reducing Iran ’ s commitments under the JCPOA , ” a state TV broadcaster said , using an acronym for the deal .
“ The Islamic Republic of Iran no longer faces any limitations in operations.
” It did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately reach in its program .
The International Atomic Energy Agency , the United Nations watchdog observing Iran ’ s program , did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
However , Iran said that its cooperation with the IAEA “ will continue as before.
” Meanwhile , Iraq ’ s parliament voted in favor of a resolution calling for an end of the foreign military presence in their nation , an effort aimed at expelling the 5,000 U.S. troops stationed there over the war against the Islamic State group .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis between Tehran and Washington after months of trading attacks and threats that have put the wider Middle East on edge .
The conflict is rooted in Trump pulling out of Iran ’ s atomic accord and imposing sanctions that have crippled Iran ’ s economy .
Iran has promised “ harsh revenge ” for the U.S. attack , which shocked Iranians across all political lines .
Many saw Soleimani as a pillar of the Islamic Republic at a moment when it is beset by U.S. sanctions and recent anti-government protests .
Retaliation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proxy forces which he oversaw .
Soleimani ’ s longtime deputy Esmail Ghaani already has taken over as the Quds Force ’ s commander .
The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia separately warned Americans “ of the heightened risk of missile and drone attacks.
” Late Saturday , a series of rockets launched in Baghdad fell inside or near the Green Zone , which houses government offices and foreign embassies , including the U.S. Embassy .
Trump wrote on Twitter afterward that the U.S. had already “ targeted 52 Iranian sites ( representing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many years ago ) , some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture.
” Trump did not identify the targets but added that they would be “ HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD.
” The 1954 Hague Convention , of which the U.S. is a party , bars any military from “ direct hostilities against cultural property.
” However , such sites can be targeted if they have been re-purposed and turned into a legitimate “ military objective , ” according to the International Committee of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 UNESCO World Heritage sites , has in the past reportedly guarded the sprawling tomb complex of the Islamic Republic ’ s founder , Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini , with surface-to-air missiles .
After thousands in Baghdad on Saturday mourned Soleimani and others killed in the strike , authorities flew the general ’ s body to the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz .
An honor guard stood by early Sunday as mourners carried the flag-draped coffins of Soleimani and other Guard members off the tarmac .
The caskets then moved slowly through streets choked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chests and carrying posters with Soleimani ’ s portrait .
Demonstrators also carried red Shiite flags , which traditionally both symbolize the spilled blood of someone unjustly killed and call for their deaths to be avenged .
Officials brought Soleimani ’ s body to Ahvaz , a city that was a focus of fighting during the bloody , 1980-88 war between Iraq and Iran in which the general slowly grew to prominence .
After that war , Soleimani joined the Guard ’ s newly formed Quds , or Jersualem , Force , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces in countries like Iraq , Lebanon and Yemen .
Authorities then took Soleimani ’ s body to the city of Mashhad later Sunday .
State TV estimated that a million mourners came out to the Imam Reza shrine to pay their respects , although that number could not be independently verified .
Soleimani ’ s remains will go to Tehran and Qom on Monday for public mourning processions , followed by his hometown of Kerman for burial Tuesday .
This marks the first time Iran honored a single man with a multi-city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a processional with his death in 1989 .
Soleimani on Monday will lie in state at Tehran ’ s famed Musalla mosque as the revolutionary leader did before him .
Soleimani was the architect of Iran ’ s regional policy of mobilizing militias across Iraq , Syria and Lebanon , including in the war against the Islamic State group .
He was also blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and American allies going back decades .
Although it ’ s unclear how or when Iran may respond , any retaliation was likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in both Iran and Iraq .
Mohsen Rezaei , a former leader of the Guard , told a crowd of mourners in Tehran that the Israeli city of Haifa and other “ centers ” like Tel Aviv could be targeted .
Rezaei earlier alleged without offering evidence that Israel leaked information to the U.S. about Soleimani ’ s whereabouts , which allowed them to carry out the drone strike .
“ Rest assured we will level to the ground Haifa and Israeli centers so that Israel will be wiped out , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious for the Iranian nation .
You hit us and you should get hit .
You attacked us and it is the Iranian nation ’ s right.
” Iranian officials planned to meet Sunday night to discuss taking a fifth step away from its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers , one that could be even greater than planned , Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told journalists .
“ In the world of politics , all developments are interconnected , ” Mousavi said .
Iran previously has broken limits of its enrichment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as restarted enrichment at an underground facility .
The Iranian parliament on Sunday opened with lawmakers in unison chanting : “ Death to America !
” Parliament speaker Ali Larijani compared Soleimani ’ s killing to the 1953 CIA-backed coup that cemented the shah ’ s power and to the U.S. Navy ’ s shootdown of an Iranian passenger plane in 1988 that killed 290 people .
He also described American officials as following “ the law of the jungle.
” Rain fell at the shrine in Mashhad late Sunday as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Soleimani and others stood .
The crowd surged and shouted as he preached .
Mourners threw clothing up to officials accompanying the remains to have the fabric be brushed against the caskets in a belief it would carry God ’ s blessings to them .
Gambrell reported from Dubai , United Arab Emirates and Karam reported from Beirut .
Associated Press writers Aya Batrawy in Dubai , Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad , Sarah El Deeb in Beirut and Kelvin Chan in London contributed to this report .

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran said Sunday it would no longer abide by any of the limits of its unraveling 2015 nuclear deal with world powers after a U.S. airstrike killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad, abandoning the accord’s key provisions that block Tehran from having enough material to build an atomic weapon.
Iran insisted in a state television broadcast it remained open to negotiations with European partners, who so far have been unable to offer Tehran a way to sell its crude oil abroad despite U.S. sanctions. It also didn’t back off of earlier promises that it wouldn’t seek a nuclear weapon.
However, the announcement Sunday represents the clearest nuclear proliferation threat yet made by Iran since President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the accord in May 2018. It also further raises regional tensions, as Iran’s longtime foe Israel has promised never to allow Iran to be able to produce an atomic bomb.
The announcement came Sunday night after another Iranian official said it would consider taking even-harsher steps over the U.S. killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani on Friday. Hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets Sunday in Iran to walk alongside a casket carrying the remains of Soleimani, the former leader of its expeditionary Quds Force that organizes Tehran’s proxy forces in the wider Mideast.
The leader of one such proxy, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, said Soleimani’s killing made U.S. military bases, warships and service members spread across the region fair targets for attacks. A former Revolutionary Guard leader suggested the Israeli city of Haifa and “centers” like Tel Aviv could be targeted.
Iran’s state TV cited a statement by President Hassan Rouhani’s administration saying the country will not observe limitations on its enrichment, the amount of stockpiled enriched uranium as well as research and development in its nuclear activities.
“The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has in a statement announced its fifth and final step in reducing Iran’s commitments under the JCPOA,” a state TV broadcaster said, using an acronym for the deal. “The Islamic Republic of Iran no longer faces any limitations in operations.”
It did not elaborate on what levels it would immediately reach in its program.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations watchdog observing Iran’s program, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, Iran said that its cooperation with the IAEA “will continue as before.”
Meanwhile, Iraq’s parliament voted in favor of a resolution calling for an end of the foreign military presence in their nation, an effort aimed at expelling the 5,000 U.S. troops stationed there over the war against the Islamic State group.
Soleimani’s killing has escalated the crisis between Tehran and Washington after months of trading attacks and threats that have put the wider Middle East on edge. The conflict is rooted in Trump pulling out of Iran’s atomic accord and imposing sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy.
Iran has promised “harsh revenge” for the U.S. attack, which shocked Iranians across all political lines. Many saw Soleimani as a pillar of the Islamic Republic at a moment when it is beset by U.S. sanctions and recent anti-government protests.
Retaliation for Soleimani could potentially come through the proxy forces which he oversaw. Soleimani’s longtime deputy Esmail Ghaani already has taken over as the Quds Force’s commander.
The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia separately warned Americans “of the heightened risk of missile and drone attacks.”
Late Saturday, a series of rockets launched in Baghdad fell inside or near the Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, including the U.S. Embassy.
Trump wrote on Twitter afterward that the U.S. had already “targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture.”
Trump did not identify the targets but added that they would be “HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD.”
The 1954 Hague Convention, of which the U.S. is a party, bars any military from “direct hostilities against cultural property.” However, such sites can be targeted if they have been re-purposed and turned into a legitimate “military objective,” according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Iran, home to 24 UNESCO World Heritage sites, has in the past reportedly guarded the sprawling tomb complex of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, with surface-to-air missiles.
After thousands in Baghdad on Saturday mourned Soleimani and others killed in the strike, authorities flew the general’s body to the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz. An honor guard stood by early Sunday as mourners carried the flag-draped coffins of Soleimani and other Guard members off the tarmac.
The caskets then moved slowly through streets choked with mourners wearing black, beating their chests and carrying posters with Soleimani’s portrait. Demonstrators also carried red Shiite flags, which traditionally both symbolize the spilled blood of someone unjustly killed and call for their deaths to be avenged.
Officials brought Soleimani’s body to Ahvaz, a city that was a focus of fighting during the bloody, 1980-88 war between Iraq and Iran in which the general slowly grew to prominence. After that war, Soleimani joined the Guard’s newly formed Quds, or Jersualem, Force, an expeditionary force that works with Iranian proxy forces in countries like Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.
Authorities then took Soleimani’s body to the city of Mashhad later Sunday. State TV estimated that a million mourners came out to the Imam Reza shrine to pay their respects, although that number could not be independently verified. Soleimani’s remains will go to Tehran and Qom on Monday for public mourning processions, followed by his hometown of Kerman for burial Tuesday.
This marks the first time Iran honored a single man with a multi-city ceremony. Not even Khomeini received such a processional with his death in 1989. Soleimani on Monday will lie in state at Tehran’s famed Musalla mosque as the revolutionary leader did before him.
Soleimani was the architect of Iran’s regional policy of mobilizing militias across Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the Islamic State group. He was also blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and American allies going back decades.
Although it’s unclear how or when Iran may respond, any retaliation was likely to come after three days of mourning declared in both Iran and Iraq.
Mohsen Rezaei, a former leader of the Guard, told a crowd of mourners in Tehran that the Israeli city of Haifa and other “centers” like Tel Aviv could be targeted. Rezaei earlier alleged without offering evidence that Israel leaked information to the U.S. about Soleimani’s whereabouts, which allowed them to carry out the drone strike.
“Rest assured we will level to the ground Haifa and Israeli centers so that Israel will be wiped out,” he said. “The issue is very serious for the Iranian nation. You hit us and you should get hit. You attacked us and it is the Iranian nation’s right.”
Iranian officials planned to meet Sunday night to discuss taking a fifth step away from its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, one that could be even greater than planned, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told journalists.
“In the world of politics, all developments are interconnected,” Mousavi said.
Iran previously has broken limits of its enrichment, its stockpiles and its centrifuges, as well as restarted enrichment at an underground facility.
The Iranian parliament on Sunday opened with lawmakers in unison chanting: “Death to America!” Parliament speaker Ali Larijani compared Soleimani’s killing to the 1953 CIA-backed coup that cemented the shah’s power and to the U.S. Navy’s shootdown of an Iranian passenger plane in 1988 that killed 290 people. He also described American officials as following “the law of the jungle.”
Rain fell at the shrine in Mashhad late Sunday as an imam delivered a sermon over the coffins of Soleimani and others stood. The crowd surged and shouted as he preached. Mourners threw clothing up to officials accompanying the remains to have the fabric be brushed against the caskets in a belief it would carry God’s blessings to them.
Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Karam reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Aya Batrawy in Dubai, Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad, Sarah El Deeb in Beirut and Kelvin Chan in London contributed to this report.


pbs--2020-01-05--Trump's threats draw Iran's cultural sites into tensions

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates — Iran ’ s ancient and rich cultural landscape has become a potential U.S. military target as Washington and Tehran lob threats and take high-stakes steps toward a possible open conflict .
President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday evening that if Iran attacks any American assets to avenge the killing of a top Iranian general , the U.S. has 52 targets across the Islamic Republic that “ WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD.
” Some are “ important to Iran & Iranian culture , ” Trump wrote on Twitter .
If the U.S. were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spark a war and lead to region-wide violence , potentially drawing other countries into a global conflict .
Iran ’ s earliest traces of human history reach as far back as 100,000 BC .
Its historic monuments preserve the legacy of a civilization that has kept its Persian identity throughout the tides of foreign conquests , weaving in influences from Turkic , South Asian and Arab cultures , and the footprints of Alexander the Great and later Islam .
“ Through MILLENNIA of history , barbarians have come and ravaged our cities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif tweeted in response Sunday .
“ Where are they now ?
We ’ re still here , & standing tall.
” Trump ’ s threat also raised questions about the legality of such an attack on heritage of global importance .
Targeting cultural sites is a war crime under the 1954 Hague Convention for the protection of cultural sites .
The United Nations Security Council also passed unanimously a resolution in 2017 condemning the destruction of heritage sites .
Attacks by the Islamic State group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq prompted that vote .
“ I ’ m really sorry that we are living in a world where the president of the biggest so-called superpower still doesn ’ t know that attacking cultural sites is a war crime , ” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told journalists in Tehran .
Telecommunications minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi compared Trump ’ s threats to strike cultural sites to the Islamic State group , Adolf Hitler and Genghis Khan , calling the U.S. president a “ terrorist in a suit.
” Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One U.S. national security official said Trump ’ s threat to target Iranian cultural sites had caught many in his administration off-guard and prompted calls for others in his government , including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , to clarify the matter .
The official , who was not authorized to speak publicly to the issue , called such a clarification necessary to affirm that the U.S. military would not intentionally commit war crimes .
Among Iranians , pride in the country ’ s culture supersedes the divisive and nationalistic fervor whipped up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chasm between hard-liners in Tehran and the diaspora of Iranians in the West .
Tensions sharply escalated between Washington and Tehran following America ’ s targeted killing early Friday in Iraq of Gen. Qassem Soleimani , the head of Iran ’ s powerful Quds Force .
The U.S. Defense Department said it killed Soleimani because he was developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in the Middle East .
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed “ harsh retaliation , ” calling Soleimani the “ international face of resistance ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter Sunday that after committing “ grave breaches ” in killing Soleimani , Trump is now threatening a “ WAR CRIME ” in targeting cultural sites .
Long before the 1979 Islamic Revolution birthed Iran ’ s Shiite theocracy , the land historically known as Persia was the birthplace of towering Islamic figures like the mystic poet Rumi and the philosopher Abu Hamid al-Ghazali .
It ’ s also home to the tombs of great scholars , including Ibn Sina , also known as Avicenna and the father of modern medicine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Heritage Sites , including Persepolis with its ancient ruins that date back to 518 BC , the 17th century grand mosque of Isfahan located in a teeming bazaar , and the Golestan Palace in the heart of Tehran , where the last shah to rule Iran , Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , was crowned in 1967 .
The country ’ s cultural sites reflect the expanse of Iran ’ s history : Geological and archaeological sites date back several thousand years , while 1,000-year-old sites reflect Iran ’ s contributions to the Golden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Feizeh Religious Science School and a shrine of a Shiite saint , Masoumeh , attract Muslim pilgrims from around the world , reinforcing Iran ’ s preeminent place among Shiite clerics , theologians and scholars .
More recently , though , some of the most iconic cultural sites have come to embody the nation ’ s defiance in the face of the United States .
For example , the iconic Azadi Tower , or Freedom Tower , with its famed white marble arch is where hundreds of thousands gather in Tehran each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to mark the anniversary of the 1979 revolution .
On Monday , the famed Musalla mosque in Tehran will be used by mourners to grieve Iran ’ s fallen commander .
Soleimani ’ s body will lie in state there before his burial in the city of Kerman on Tuesday .
If culturally prominent sites were targeted , the Trump administration might argue they were being used to covertly stockpile weapons that could target U.S. interests and personnel in the region .
Iran ’ s Revolutionary Guard has in the past deployed HAWK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Ruhollah Khomeini where the Islamic Republic ’ s late supreme leader is buried .
The complex was attacked by Islamic State militants in 2017 .
Associated Press journalists Mehdi Fattahi in Tehran , Iran , and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report .

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s ancient and rich cultural landscape has become a potential U.S. military target as Washington and Tehran lob threats and take high-stakes steps toward a possible open conflict.
President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday evening that if Iran attacks any American assets to avenge the killing of a top Iranian general, the U.S. has 52 targets across the Islamic Republic that “WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD.”
Some are “important to Iran & Iranian culture,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
If the U.S. were to directly bomb Iran, it could spark a war and lead to region-wide violence, potentially drawing other countries into a global conflict.
Iran’s earliest traces of human history reach as far back as 100,000 BC. Its historic monuments preserve the legacy of a civilization that has kept its Persian identity throughout the tides of foreign conquests, weaving in influences from Turkic, South Asian and Arab cultures, and the footprints of Alexander the Great and later Islam.
“Through MILLENNIA of history, barbarians have come and ravaged our cities, razed our monuments and burnt our libraries,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif tweeted in response Sunday. “Where are they now? We’re still here, & standing tall.”
Trump’s threat also raised questions about the legality of such an attack on heritage of global importance.
Targeting cultural sites is a war crime under the 1954 Hague Convention for the protection of cultural sites. The United Nations Security Council also passed unanimously a resolution in 2017 condemning the destruction of heritage sites. Attacks by the Islamic State group and other armed factions in Syria and Iraq prompted that vote.
“I’m really sorry that we are living in a world where the president of the biggest so-called superpower still doesn’t know that attacking cultural sites is a war crime,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told journalists in Tehran.
Telecommunications minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi compared Trump’s threats to strike cultural sites to the Islamic State group, Adolf Hitler and Genghis Khan, calling the U.S. president a “terrorist in a suit.”
Trump’s tweet also caused concern in Washington. One U.S. national security official said Trump’s threat to target Iranian cultural sites had caught many in his administration off-guard and prompted calls for others in his government, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to clarify the matter. The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly to the issue, called such a clarification necessary to affirm that the U.S. military would not intentionally commit war crimes.
Among Iranians, pride in the country’s culture supersedes the divisive and nationalistic fervor whipped up by current politics that has put a chasm between hard-liners in Tehran and the diaspora of Iranians in the West.
Tensions sharply escalated between Washington and Tehran following America’s targeted killing early Friday in Iraq of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s powerful Quds Force. The U.S. Defense Department said it killed Soleimani because he was developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in the Middle East.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed “harsh retaliation,” calling Soleimani the “international face of resistance” against Western hegemony.
Zarif also wrote on Twitter Sunday that after committing “grave breaches” in killing Soleimani, Trump is now threatening a “WAR CRIME” in targeting cultural sites.
Long before the 1979 Islamic Revolution birthed Iran’s Shiite theocracy, the land historically known as Persia was the birthplace of towering Islamic figures like the mystic poet Rumi and the philosopher Abu Hamid al-Ghazali. It’s also home to the tombs of great scholars, including Ibn Sina, also known as Avicenna and the father of modern medicine.
Iran is home to two dozen UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Persepolis with its ancient ruins that date back to 518 BC, the 17th century grand mosque of Isfahan located in a teeming bazaar, and the Golestan Palace in the heart of Tehran, where the last shah to rule Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was crowned in 1967.
The country’s cultural sites reflect the expanse of Iran’s history: Geological and archaeological sites date back several thousand years, while 1,000-year-old sites reflect Iran’s contributions to the Golden Age of Islam. In Qom, the Feizeh Religious Science School and a shrine of a Shiite saint, Masoumeh, attract Muslim pilgrims from around the world, reinforcing Iran’s preeminent place among Shiite clerics, theologians and scholars.
More recently, though, some of the most iconic cultural sites have come to embody the nation’s defiance in the face of the United States. For example, the iconic Azadi Tower, or Freedom Tower, with its famed white marble arch is where hundreds of thousands gather in Tehran each year and chant slogans against the U.S. to mark the anniversary of the 1979 revolution.
On Monday, the famed Musalla mosque in Tehran will be used by mourners to grieve Iran’s fallen commander. Soleimani’s body will lie in state there before his burial in the city of Kerman on Tuesday.
If culturally prominent sites were targeted, the Trump administration might argue they were being used to covertly stockpile weapons that could target U.S. interests and personnel in the region.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has in the past deployed HAWK anti-aircraft missiles around the sprawling tomb complex of Ruhollah Khomeini where the Islamic Republic’s late supreme leader is buried. The complex was attacked by Islamic State militants in 2017.
Associated Press journalists Mehdi Fattahi in Tehran, Iran, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.


pbs--2020-01-04--More U.S. troops deploy to Mideast amid tensions with Iran

FORT BRAGG , N.C. — Hundreds of U.S. soldiers deployed Saturday from Fort Bragg , North Carolina , to Kuwait to serve as reinforcements in the Middle East amid rising tensions following the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general .
Lt. Col. Mike Burns , a spokesman for the 82nd Airborne Division , told The Associated Press 3,500 members of the division ’ s quick-deployment brigade , known officially as its Immediate Response Force , will have deployed within a few days .
The most recent group of service members to deploy will join about 700 who left earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A loading ramp at Fort Bragg was filled Saturday morning with combat gear and restless soldiers .
Some tried to grab a last-minute nap on wooden benches .
Reporters saw others filing onto buses .
The additional troop deployments reflect concerns about potential Iranian retaliatory action in the volatile aftermath of Friday ’ s drone strike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani , the head of Iran ’ s elite Quds Force who has been blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and American allies going back decades .
President Donald Trump ordered the airstrike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran has vowed retribution , raising fears of an all-out war , but it ’ s unclear how or when a response might come .
Reporters weren ’ t able to interview the soldiers leaving Fort Bragg on Saturday , but an airman loading one of the cargo planes told an Army cameraman he was making New Year ’ s plans when he got a call to help load up the soldiers , according to video footage released by the military .
“ We ’ re responsible for loading the cargo .
Almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bunch of planes are coming over here , ” the unnamed airman said .
“ I was getting ready to go out for New Year ’ s when they called me.
” In the gray early morning light Saturday , Army video showed soldiers dressed in camouflage fatigues filing into planes , carrying rucksacks and rifles .
Humvees were rolled onto another cargo plane and chained in place for the flight to the Middle East .
Burns said the soldiers within the Immediate Response Force train constantly to be ready to respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by their superiors , they have two hours to get to base with their gear and must maintain a state of readiness so that they can be in the air headed to their next location within 18 hours .
“ So whether they were on leave , whether they were home drinking a beer , whether they were , you know , hanging out , throwing the kids up in the yard , you get the call and it ’ s time to go , ” he said .
He said that soldiers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their personal gear with them at their living quarters .
The wife of a member of the 82nd Airborne who deployed earlier this week said his departure was so abrupt she didn ’ t have the chance to say goodbye in person or by phone .
April Shumard said she was at work on New Year ’ s Eve and he was watching their five children when he texted her that he had to rush to base .
He wasn ’ t sure if it was a drill or a deployment .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military since 2010 and has already deployed twice to Afghanistan .
But with those prior deployments , the family had much more time to prepare and say goodbye .
This time , she got a second message confirming he was leaving , and he departed in a plane on the afternoon of New Year ’ s Day .
“ The kids kept going , ‘ When ’ s Dad going to be home ?
’ ” said Shumard , 42 .
“ It ’ s literally thrown me for a loop .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still in disbelief of where he ’ s gone .
Our heads are spun.
” She said that Fayetteville is a tight-knit community , and she expects people to work together to support families who are suddenly missing a parent .
“ This was so last-minute , ” she said , urging people to reach out to 82nd Airborne families .
“ Just try to help out whoever you know who might need some babysitting or help or just get some groceries and bring it to their house .
”

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Hundreds of U.S. soldiers deployed Saturday from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Kuwait to serve as reinforcements in the Middle East amid rising tensions following the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general.
Lt. Col. Mike Burns, a spokesman for the 82nd Airborne Division, told The Associated Press 3,500 members of the division’s quick-deployment brigade, known officially as its Immediate Response Force, will have deployed within a few days. The most recent group of service members to deploy will join about 700 who left earlier in the week, Burns said.
A loading ramp at Fort Bragg was filled Saturday morning with combat gear and restless soldiers. Some tried to grab a last-minute nap on wooden benches. Reporters saw others filing onto buses.
The additional troop deployments reflect concerns about potential Iranian retaliatory action in the volatile aftermath of Friday’s drone strike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force who has been blamed for attacks on U.S. troops and American allies going back decades.
President Donald Trump ordered the airstrike near Baghdad’s international airport. Iran has vowed retribution, raising fears of an all-out war, but it’s unclear how or when a response might come.
Reporters weren’t able to interview the soldiers leaving Fort Bragg on Saturday, but an airman loading one of the cargo planes told an Army cameraman he was making New Year’s plans when he got a call to help load up the soldiers, according to video footage released by the military.
“We’re responsible for loading the cargo. Almost our whole squadron got alerted. Like a bunch of planes are coming over here,” the unnamed airman said. “I was getting ready to go out for New Year’s when they called me.”
In the gray early morning light Saturday, Army video showed soldiers dressed in camouflage fatigues filing into planes, carrying rucksacks and rifles. Humvees were rolled onto another cargo plane and chained in place for the flight to the Middle East.
Burns said the soldiers within the Immediate Response Force train constantly to be ready to respond quickly to crises abroad. When called by their superiors, they have two hours to get to base with their gear and must maintain a state of readiness so that they can be in the air headed to their next location within 18 hours.
“So whether they were on leave, whether they were home drinking a beer, whether they were, you know, hanging out, throwing the kids up in the yard, you get the call and it’s time to go,” he said.
He said that soldiers typically keep individual “go-bags” of their personal gear with them at their living quarters.
The wife of a member of the 82nd Airborne who deployed earlier this week said his departure was so abrupt she didn’t have the chance to say goodbye in person or by phone.
April Shumard said she was at work on New Year’s Eve and he was watching their five children when he texted her that he had to rush to base. He wasn’t sure if it was a drill or a deployment. She said her husband has been in the military since 2010 and has already deployed twice to Afghanistan. But with those prior deployments, the family had much more time to prepare and say goodbye. This time, she got a second message confirming he was leaving, and he departed in a plane on the afternoon of New Year’s Day.
“The kids kept going, ‘When’s Dad going to be home?’” said Shumard, 42. “It’s literally thrown me for a loop. And him as well. He’s still in disbelief of where he’s gone. Our heads are spun.”
She said that Fayetteville is a tight-knit community, and she expects people to work together to support families who are suddenly missing a parent.
“This was so last-minute,” she said, urging people to reach out to 82nd Airborne families. “Just try to help out whoever you know who might need some babysitting or help or just get some groceries and bring it to their house.”
Drew reported from Durham, North Carolina.


pbs--2020-01-04--Small cracks have appeared in GOP unity on impeachment trial

WASHINGTON — The Senate seems certain to keep President Donald Trump in office thanks to the overwhelming GOP support expected in his impeachment trial .
But how that trial will proceed — and when it will begin — remains to be seen .
Democrats are pushing for the Senate to issue subpoenas for witnesses and documents , pointing to reports that they say have raised new questions about Trump ’ s decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine .
Once the House transmits the articles of impeachment , decisions about how to conduct the trial will require 51 votes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats can not force subpoenas on their own .
For now , Republicans are holding the line behind Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ’ s position that they should start the trial and hear arguments from House prosecutors and Trump ’ s defense team before deciding what to do .
But small cracks in GOP unity have appeared , with two Republican senators criticizing McConnell ’ s pledge of “ total coordination ” with the White House during the impeachment trial .
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she was “ disturbed ” by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding that there should be distance between the White House and the Senate on how the trial is conducted .
Maine Sen. Susan Collins , meanwhile , called the pledge by McConnell , R-Ky. , inappropriate and said she is open to seeking testimony .
Democrats could find their own unity tested if and when the Senate reaches a final vote on the two House-approved impeachment charges — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
It would take 67 votes to convict Trump on either charge and remove him from office , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s also far from certain that all 47 Democrats will find Trump guilty .
Democratic Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama said he ’ s undecided on how he might vote and suggested he sees merits in the arguments both for and against conviction .
A look at senators to watch once the impeachment trial begins : In her fourth term representing Alaska , Murkowski is considered a key Senate moderate .
She has voted against GOP leadership on multiple occasions and opposed Brett Kavanaugh ’ s nomination to the Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alaska TV station last month there should be distance between the White House and the GOP-controlled Senate in how the trial is conducted .
“ To me it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense , and so I heard what leader McConnell had said , I happened to think that that has further confused the process , ” she said .
Murkowski says the Senate is being asked to cure deficiencies in the House impeachment effort , particularly when it comes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to testify , including White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton .
“ How we will deal with witnesses remains to be seen , ” she said , adding that House leaders should have gone to court if witnesses refused to appear before Congress .
The four-term senator said she is open to calling witnesses as part of the impeachment trial but calls it “ premature ” to decide who should be called until evidence is presented .
“ It is inappropriate , in my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the aisle to prejudge the evidence before they have heard what is presented to us , ” Collins told Maine Public Radio .
Senators take an oath to render impartial justice during impeachment — an oath lawmakers should take seriously , Collins said .
Collins , who is running for reelection and is considered one of the nation ’ s most vulnerable GOP senators , also faulted Democrats for saying Trump should be found guilty and removed from office .
“ There are senators on both sides of the aisle , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the appearance of and the reality of judging that ’ s in an impartial way , ” she said .
Jones , a freshman seeking reelection in staunchly pro-Trump Alabama , is considered the Democrat most likely to side with Republicans in a Senate trial .
In a Washington Post op-ed column , Jones said that for Americans to have confidence in the impeachment process , “ the Senate must conduct a full , fair and complete trial with all relevant evidence regarding the president ’ s conduct.
” He said he fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial that is not intended to find the whole truth .
For the sake of the country , this must change.
” Unlike what happened during the investigation of President Bill Clinton , “ Trump has blocked both the production of virtually all relevant documents and the testimony of witnesses who have firsthand knowledge of the facts , ” Jones said .
“ The evidence we do have may be sufficient to make a judgment , but it is clearly incomplete , ” he added .
Jones and other Democrats are seeking testimony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials to help fill in the gaps .
Romney , a freshman senator and on-again , off-again Trump critic , has criticized Trump for his comments urging Ukraine and China to investigate Democrat Joe Biden , but has not spoken directly about he thinks impeachment should proceed .
Romney is overwhelmingly popular in a conservative state where Trump is not beloved , a status that gives Romney leverage to buck the president or at least speak out about rules and procedures of a Senate trial .
Gardner , like Collins is a vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where Trump is not popular .
Gardner has criticized the House impeachment effort as overly partisan and fretted that it will sharply divide the country .
While Trump is under water in Colorado , a GOP strategist says Gardner and other Republicans could benefit from an energized GOP base if the Senate , as expected , acquits Trump of the two articles of impeachment approved by the House .
An acquittal “ may have a substantial impact on other races in Colorado , up to and including Sen. Cory Gardner ’ s re-election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Radio .
McSally , who was appointed to her seat after losing a Senate bid in 2018 , is another vulnerable Republican seeking election this fall .
She calls impeachment a serious matter and said she hopes her constituents would want her to examine the facts without partisanship .
The American people “ want us to take a serious look at this and not have it be just partisan bickering going on , ” she told The Arizona Republic .
A three-term senator and former governor , Alexander is retiring next year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ both parties as an old-school defender of Senate prerogatives , Alexander has called Trump ’ s conduct “ inappropriate , ” but says he views impeachment as a “ mistake.
” An election , which “ is just around the corner , is the right way to decide who should be president , ” Alexander said last fall .
“ Impeachment has never removed a president .
It will only divide the country further .
”

WASHINGTON — The Senate seems certain to keep President Donald Trump in office thanks to the overwhelming GOP support expected in his impeachment trial. But how that trial will proceed — and when it will begin — remains to be seen.
Democrats are pushing for the Senate to issue subpoenas for witnesses and documents, pointing to reports that they say have raised new questions about Trump’s decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine.
Once the House transmits the articles of impeachment, decisions about how to conduct the trial will require 51 votes. With Republicans controlling the Senate 53-47, Democrats cannot force subpoenas on their own.
For now, Republicans are holding the line behind Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s position that they should start the trial and hear arguments from House prosecutors and Trump’s defense team before deciding what to do.
But small cracks in GOP unity have appeared, with two Republican senators criticizing McConnell’s pledge of “total coordination” with the White House during the impeachment trial.
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she was “disturbed” by the GOP leader’s comments, adding that there should be distance between the White House and the Senate on how the trial is conducted. Maine Sen. Susan Collins, meanwhile, called the pledge by McConnell, R-Ky., inappropriate and said she is open to seeking testimony.
Democrats could find their own unity tested if and when the Senate reaches a final vote on the two House-approved impeachment charges — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
It would take 67 votes to convict Trump on either charge and remove him from office, a high bar unlikely to be reached. It’s also far from certain that all 47 Democrats will find Trump guilty.
Democratic Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama said he’s undecided on how he might vote and suggested he sees merits in the arguments both for and against conviction.
A look at senators to watch once the impeachment trial begins:
___
Murkowski
In her fourth term representing Alaska, Murkowski is considered a key Senate moderate. She has voted against GOP leadership on multiple occasions and opposed Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court in 2018.
Murkowski told an Alaska TV station last month there should be distance between the White House and the GOP-controlled Senate in how the trial is conducted.
“To me it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense, and so I heard what leader McConnell had said, I happened to think that that has further confused the process,” she said.
Murkowski says the Senate is being asked to cure deficiencies in the House impeachment effort, particularly when it comes to whether key witnesses should be brought forward to testify, including White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton.
“How we will deal with witnesses remains to be seen,” she said, adding that House leaders should have gone to court if witnesses refused to appear before Congress.
___
Collins
The four-term senator said she is open to calling witnesses as part of the impeachment trial but calls it “premature” to decide who should be called until evidence is presented.
“It is inappropriate, in my judgment, for senators on either side of the aisle to prejudge the evidence before they have heard what is presented to us,” Collins told Maine Public Radio.
Senators take an oath to render impartial justice during impeachment — an oath lawmakers should take seriously, Collins said.
Collins, who is running for reelection and is considered one of the nation’s most vulnerable GOP senators, also faulted Democrats for saying Trump should be found guilty and removed from office. “There are senators on both sides of the aisle, who, to me, are not giving the appearance of and the reality of judging that’s in an impartial way,” she said.
____
Jones
Jones, a freshman seeking reelection in staunchly pro-Trump Alabama, is considered the Democrat most likely to side with Republicans in a Senate trial. In a Washington Post op-ed column, Jones said that for Americans to have confidence in the impeachment process, “the Senate must conduct a full, fair and complete trial with all relevant evidence regarding the president’s conduct.”
He said he fears that senators “are headed toward a trial that is not intended to find the whole truth. For the sake of the country, this must change.”
Unlike what happened during the investigation of President Bill Clinton, “Trump has blocked both the production of virtually all relevant documents and the testimony of witnesses who have firsthand knowledge of the facts,” Jones said. “The evidence we do have may be sufficient to make a judgment, but it is clearly incomplete,” he added.
Jones and other Democrats are seeking testimony from Mulvaney and other key White House officials to help fill in the gaps.
___
Mitt Romney, R-Utah.
Romney, a freshman senator and on-again, off-again Trump critic, has criticized Trump for his comments urging Ukraine and China to investigate Democrat Joe Biden, but has not spoken directly about he thinks impeachment should proceed.
Romney is overwhelmingly popular in a conservative state where Trump is not beloved, a status that gives Romney leverage to buck the president or at least speak out about rules and procedures of a Senate trial.
___
Cory Gardner, R-Colo.
Gardner, like Collins is a vulnerable senator up for reelection in a state where Trump is not popular. Gardner has criticized the House impeachment effort as overly partisan and fretted that it will sharply divide the country.
While Trump is under water in Colorado, a GOP strategist says Gardner and other Republicans could benefit from an energized GOP base if the Senate, as expected, acquits Trump of the two articles of impeachment approved by the House. An acquittal “may have a substantial impact on other races in Colorado, up to and including Sen. Cory Gardner’s re-election,” Ryan Lynch told Colorado Public Radio.
___
Martha McSally, R-Ariz.
McSally, who was appointed to her seat after losing a Senate bid in 2018, is another vulnerable Republican seeking election this fall. She calls impeachment a serious matter and said she hopes her constituents would want her to examine the facts without partisanship. The American people “want us to take a serious look at this and not have it be just partisan bickering going on,” she told The Arizona Republic.
___
Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.
A three-term senator and former governor, Alexander is retiring next year. A moderate who’s respected by both parties as an old-school defender of Senate prerogatives, Alexander has called Trump’s conduct “inappropriate,” but says he views impeachment as a “mistake.”
An election, which “is just around the corner, is the right way to decide who should be president,” Alexander said last fall. “Impeachment has never removed a president. It will only divide the country further.”


pbs--2020-01-04--Trump stirs Mideast tensions despite talk of 'endless wars'

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — With a single drone strike , President Donald Trump did more than just take out an avowed enemy of the United States .
He may have have also upended a central element of his foreign policy .
The Friday strike that killed the most prominent Iranian general may have ended any chance that he would get the United States out of the “ endless wars ” in the Middle East that he has railed against since taking office .
The killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad has the world bracing for a possible retaliation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a wider conflict .
“ It is probably the most profound escalation that the United States could have taken , ” said Ned Price , who served on the National Security Council under President Barack Obama .
Trump has been on a confrontational path with Iran since even before he took office , when he pledged to end the Iran nuclear deal signed by Obama .
He insisted he doesn ’ t want war and the killing of Soleimani wasn ’ t meant to provoke the Islamic Republic .
“ We took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Trump sad .
“ We did not take action to start a war.
” Nonetheless , the targeting of Soleimani , the head of Iran ’ s elite Quds Force , was arguably the most provocative military action in the Middle East since President George W. Bush launched the 2003 Iraq war to topple Saddam Hussein .
The killing of Soleimani , regarded as the second most powerful official in Iran , came as Trump has sought to apply increased pressure on Iran through economic sanctions to abandon its nuclear weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provocative attacks on U.S. military and oil facilities in region .
By taking out Soleimani , Trump signaled to Iran that his patience has worn thin over the long , simmering conflagration .
The shadowy general who was in command of Iran ’ s proxy forces was responsible , according to the Pentagon , for the deaths of hundreds of American troops in Iraq during the height of the war there .
White House officials said Trump decided to take action because Soleimani was plotting unspecified future attacks targeting Americans as tensions between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boil .
Trump said Friday he wasn ’ t interested in further escalating the conflict , but warned the regime that his military advisers have already drawn up plans to retaliate should Iran attack .
“ If Americans anywhere are threatened , we have all of those targets already fully identified and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary , and that in particular refers to Iran , ” Trump said .
Trump ’ s aggressive approach with Iran is remarkable considering his oft-repeated desire to avoid expensive military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presence has led to him butting heads with his top advisers as he has sought to end the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and Syria .
Yet , for much of his nearly three years in office , Trump has buffeted between demonstrating restraint and sending warning flares to Iran that the U.S. is prepared for military confrontation .
In June , after Iran shot down a U.S. drone , Trump said he gave top Pentagon officials permission to carry out military strikes against Iran before changing his mind 10 minutes before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said he had a change of heart after being told by a general that the strikes would cause up to 150 Iranian casualties .
In September , with French President Emmanuel Macron serving as a go-between , Trump reportedly made an unsuccessful attempt to persuade Iran President Hassan Rouhani to speak with him by phone from the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly .
The next month the Pentagon announced it was deploying 3,000 U.S. troops to protect Saudi Arabia .
( The Pentagon on Friday announced following Soleimani ’ s killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region with an additional 3,500 U.S .
troops . )
The October boost in forces came after a drone attack on a Saudi oilfield .
Iranian-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack , and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Iran of being behind “ unprecedented attack on the world ’ s energy supply.
” The tit-for-tat between the U.S. and Iran rose to a whole new level in recent weeks .
Last week , after months of massive street protests in Baghdad by demonstrators urging both Iran and the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah group fired a barrage of rockets at a military base in Kirkuk , killing a US contractor and wounding several US and Iraqi troops .
On Sunday , Trump struck back with airstrikes on Iran-affiliated militia bases in western Iraq and Syria .
Then on Tuesday pro-Iranian militia members marched on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad , leading to diplomats holing up in the sprawling compound as protesters burning the embassy ’ s reception .
Still , before attending a New Years Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago resort , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t see war coming and that he wanted peace with Iran .
The president , however , warned that if the U.S. were to go to war with Iran it “ wouldn ’ t last very long.
” Less than 48 hours later , Trump ordered the strike that took out Soleimani .
“ President Trump may be genuine in not wanting war with Iran , ” Price said .
“ At the same , it is fair to say that he doesn ’ t seem to understand the implication that an action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a national security analyst at the conservative Washington think tank Heritage Foundation , argues that that there ’ s no disconnect between Trump ’ s disdain for endless wars and his efforts to increase pressure on Iran .
“ This is clearly not an escalation , this is clearly an act of self-defense , ” Carafano said .
“ The president has also never said we ’ re walking away from the Middle East .
What he says he wants is a sustainable security architecture in place which means we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to expect others to do more to protect theirs.
” Iran says it is already plotting revenge .
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that “ harsh retaliation is waiting ” for the U.S. after the airstrike and called Soleimani the “ international face of resistance.
” As thousands of worshipers in the Tehran took to streets after Friday prayers to condemn the killing and chant “ Death to deceitful America , ” the State Department issued an alert urging American citizens to leave Iraq “ immediately.
” Over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hawkishness on Iran has lacked coherence and has , in no small part , been informed by his desire to do away with the fragile peace brokered by Obama , said Abbas Kadhim , a Middle East analyst at the Atlantic Council in Washington .
Trump won the White House after pledging as a candidate to undo the Obama-administration brokered agreement to limit its uranium enrichment program in exchange for an easing of sanctions .
He and other critics felt the deal gave too many economic benefits without doing enough to prevent Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump followed through on his campaign vow in May 2018 by officially withdrawing from the treaty and reimposing crippling sanctions on Tehran .
“ He exited from the deal because it was an Obama deal , and he did believe in his heart of hearts that he could come up with a better a deal , ” Kadhim said .
“ He thought Iran would now be facing the greatest dealmaker .
But I think he miscalculated the stubbornness of the Iranians .
”

WASHINGTON (AP) — With a single drone strike, President Donald Trump did more than just take out an avowed enemy of the United States. He may have have also upended a central element of his foreign policy.
The Friday strike that killed the most prominent Iranian general may have ended any chance that he would get the United States out of the “endless wars” in the Middle East that he has railed against since taking office.
The killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad has the world bracing for a possible retaliation, with many fearing it could lead to a wider conflict.
“It is probably the most profound escalation that the United States could have taken,” said Ned Price, who served on the National Security Council under President Barack Obama.
Trump has been on a confrontational path with Iran since even before he took office, when he pledged to end the Iran nuclear deal signed by Obama. He insisted he doesn’t want war and the killing of Soleimani wasn’t meant to provoke the Islamic Republic.
“We took action last night to stop a war,” Trump sad. “We did not take action to start a war.”
Nonetheless, the targeting of Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, was arguably the most provocative military action in the Middle East since President George W. Bush launched the 2003 Iraq war to topple Saddam Hussein.
The killing of Soleimani, regarded as the second most powerful official in Iran, came as Trump has sought to apply increased pressure on Iran through economic sanctions to abandon its nuclear weapons program, while Iran has countered with provocative attacks on U.S. military and oil facilities in region.
By taking out Soleimani, Trump signaled to Iran that his patience has worn thin over the long, simmering conflagration.
The shadowy general who was in command of Iran’s proxy forces was responsible, according to the Pentagon, for the deaths of hundreds of American troops in Iraq during the height of the war there. White House officials said Trump decided to take action because Soleimani was plotting unspecified future attacks targeting Americans as tensions between the U.S. and Iran have reached a boil.
Trump said Friday he wasn’t interested in further escalating the conflict, but warned the regime that his military advisers have already drawn up plans to retaliate should Iran attack.
“If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary, and that in particular refers to Iran,” Trump said.
Trump’s aggressive approach with Iran is remarkable considering his oft-repeated desire to avoid expensive military entanglements. His aversion to long-term military presence has led to him butting heads with his top advisers as he has sought to end the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and Syria.
Yet, for much of his nearly three years in office, Trump has buffeted between demonstrating restraint and sending warning flares to Iran that the U.S. is prepared for military confrontation.
In June, after Iran shot down a U.S. drone, Trump said he gave top Pentagon officials permission to carry out military strikes against Iran before changing his mind 10 minutes before the operation was to be carried out.
Trump said he had a change of heart after being told by a general that the strikes would cause up to 150 Iranian casualties.
In September, with French President Emmanuel Macron serving as a go-between, Trump reportedly made an unsuccessful attempt to persuade Iran President Hassan Rouhani to speak with him by phone from the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.
The next month the Pentagon announced it was deploying 3,000 U.S. troops to protect Saudi Arabia. (The Pentagon on Friday announced following Soleimani’s killing that it would boost its presence in the region with an additional 3,500 U.S. troops.)
The October boost in forces came after a drone attack on a Saudi oilfield. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Iran of being behind “unprecedented attack on the world’s energy supply.”
The tit-for-tat between the U.S. and Iran rose to a whole new level in recent weeks.
Last week, after months of massive street protests in Baghdad by demonstrators urging both Iran and the U.S. to cease interfering in Iraqi affairs, the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah group fired a barrage of rockets at a military base in Kirkuk, killing a US contractor and wounding several US and Iraqi troops.
On Sunday, Trump struck back with airstrikes on Iran-affiliated militia bases in western Iraq and Syria.
Then on Tuesday pro-Iranian militia members marched on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, leading to diplomats holing up in the sprawling compound as protesters burning the embassy’s reception.
Still, before attending a New Years Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump told reporters that he didn’t see war coming and that he wanted peace with Iran. The president, however, warned that if the U.S. were to go to war with Iran it “wouldn’t last very long.”
Less than 48 hours later, Trump ordered the strike that took out Soleimani.
“President Trump may be genuine in not wanting war with Iran,” Price said. “At the same, it is fair to say that he doesn’t seem to understand the implication that an action like this could foretell.”
James Carafano, a national security analyst at the conservative Washington think tank Heritage Foundation, argues that that there’s no disconnect between Trump’s disdain for endless wars and his efforts to increase pressure on Iran.
“This is clearly not an escalation, this is clearly an act of self-defense,” Carafano said. “The president has also never said we’re walking away from the Middle East. What he says he wants is a sustainable security architecture in place which means we’re going to protect our interest and we’re going to expect others to do more to protect theirs.”
Iran says it is already plotting revenge.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that “harsh retaliation is waiting” for the U.S. after the airstrike and called Soleimani the “international face of resistance.”
As thousands of worshipers in the Tehran took to streets after Friday prayers to condemn the killing and chant “Death to deceitful America,” the State Department issued an alert urging American citizens to leave Iraq “immediately.”
Over the course of presidency, Trump’s hawkishness on Iran has lacked coherence and has, in no small part, been informed by his desire to do away with the fragile peace brokered by Obama, said Abbas Kadhim, a Middle East analyst at the Atlantic Council in Washington.
Trump won the White House after pledging as a candidate to undo the Obama-administration brokered agreement to limit its uranium enrichment program in exchange for an easing of sanctions. He and other critics felt the deal gave too many economic benefits without doing enough to prevent Iran from eventually developing a nuclear weapon.
Trump followed through on his campaign vow in May 2018 by officially withdrawing from the treaty and reimposing crippling sanctions on Tehran.
“He exited from the deal because it was an Obama deal, and he did believe in his heart of hearts that he could come up with a better a deal,” Kadhim said. “He thought Iran would now be facing the greatest dealmaker. But I think he miscalculated the stubbornness of the Iranians.”


pbs--2020-01-03--How 2020 candidates are grappling with online disinformation

It 's difficult to see why a video like this might be a problem , because it is not using @ @ @ @ @ The issue is , is that we have no mechanism for retraction , nor correction @ @ @ @ @ , anybody who saw that video before there were any articles written by journalists debunking @ @ @ @ @ 's true .

Joan Donovan:
It's difficult to see why a video like this might be a problem, because it is not using any fancy editing technology.
The issue is, is that we have no mechanism for retraction, nor correction on these platforms. So, anybody who saw that video before there were any articles written by journalists debunking it may still believe it's true.


pbs--2020-01-03--Shields and Brooks on Iran general's killing, 2020 Democrats' fundraising

Well , first , like the other 7.5 billion inhabitants of this Earth , I do n't know either .
But I do see it sort of on three levels , first , in the near term , the immediate term , which is , I think it 's a reasonably good thing that somebody who was responsible for the deaths of 600 Americans and hundreds of thousands of people in the Middle East meet some justice .
I do think that 's a good thing .
The fact that there were rallies around the Middle East celebrating his death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has wrought .
Then there is the middle term , and that 's somewhere between anxiety-inducing and terrifying , because we just — I do n't think either Iraq or Iran or the U.S. want to have a war , but they have got to show they do something , and then we do something .
And it could escalate into something .
I think it 's extremely unlikely .
But they play this game .
I have been covering the Middle East for 30 years .
And they play this game .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and somebody just finally quiet — walks away , but , sometimes , it does n't .
And so , in the middle term , I think we 're overall right to be worried about that .
And then , in the long term , I think talent does n't grow on trees , and this guy was their best guy .
And so getting rid of your enemy 's best guy probably in the long term yields some benefit .
And , second , his strategic — his basic signature move was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , extragovernmental militias , in a sometimes hostile country .
And to the extent that we can weaken that there should be militias all around the Middle East , then we have stabilized the Middle East long-term .
The middle term is what you have to worry about .

David Brooks:
Yes.
Well, first, like the other 7.5 billion inhabitants of this Earth, I don't know either. But I do see it sort of on three levels, first, in the near term, the immediate term, which is, I think it's a reasonably good thing that somebody who was responsible for the deaths of 600 Americans and hundreds of thousands of people in the Middle East meet some justice.
I do think that's a good thing. The fact that there were rallies around the Middle East celebrating his death is a sign of the destruction he has wrought.
Then there is the middle term, and that's somewhere between anxiety-inducing and terrifying, because we just — I don't think either Iraq or Iran or the U.S. want to have a war, but they have got to show they do something, and then we do something. And it could escalate into something.
I think it's extremely unlikely. But they play this game. I have been covering the Middle East for 30 years. And they play this game. And, sometimes, it goes fine and somebody just finally quiet — walks away, but, sometimes, it doesn't.
And so, in the middle term, I think we're overall right to be worried about that.
And then, in the long term, I think talent doesn't grow on trees, and this guy was their best guy. And so getting rid of your enemy's best guy probably in the long term yields some benefit.
And, second, his strategic — his basic signature move was to create militias around the Middle East, extragovernmental militias, in a sometimes hostile country. And to the extent that we can weaken that there should be militias all around the Middle East, then we have stabilized the Middle East long-term.
The middle term is what you have to worry about.


pbs--2020-01-03--WATCH: Trump says Iranian general's 'reign of terror' is over

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — President Donald Trump declared Friday that a “ reign of terror is over ” as he marked the death of an Iranian general killed in a U.S. strike and as the Pentagon scrambled to reinforce the American military presence in the Middle East in preparation for reprisals .
Gen. Qassem Soleimani “ made the death of innocent people his sick passion , ” Trump said from his estate in Palm Beach , Florida , adding “ a lot of lives would have been saved ” if he ’ d been hunted down years ago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more Army troops to the Mideast in the volatile aftermath of the killing ordered by Trump , defense officials said .
Also Friday , the Pentagon placed an Army brigade in Italy on alert to fly into Lebanon if needed to protect the American Embassy there , part of a series of military moves to protect U.S. interests in the Middle East .
Speaking on condition of anonymity , an official said the U.S. could send 130 to more than 700 troops to Beirut from Italy .
The official was not authorized to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. officials said they had compelling intelligence that Soleimani , the commander of Iran ’ s Quds Force who was killed in the U.S. strike , was planning a significant campaign of violence against the United States .
Officials , who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision not yet announced by the Pentagon , said the new contingent of troops is from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg , North Carolina .
They are in addition to about 700 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne who deployed to Kuwait earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad by Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters .
Trump said of Soleimani : “ We take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over.
” But the dispatching of extra troops reflects concern about potential Iranian retaliatory action for the killing .
It also runs counter to Trump ’ s repeated push to extract the United States from Mideast conflicts .
Prior to this week ’ s troop deployments , the administration had sent 14,000 additional troops to the Mideast since May , when it first publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interests .
The reinforcements took shape as Trump gave his first comments on the strike , declaring that he ordered the killing of Soleimani because he had killed and wounded many Americans over the years and was plotting to kill many more .
“ He should have been taken out many years ago , ” he added .
The strike marked a major escalation in the conflict between Washington and Iran , as Iran vowed “ harsh retaliation ” for the killing of the senior military leader .
The two nations have faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 nuclear deal and imposed crippling sanctions .
The United States urged its citizens to leave Iraq “ immediately ” as fears mounted that the strike and any retaliation by Iran could ignite a conflict that engulfs the region .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the strike as “ wholly lawful , ” saying that Soleimani posed an “ imminent ” threat against the U.S. and its interests in the region .
“ There was an imminent attack , ” Pompeo told Fox News .
“ The orchestrator , the primary motivator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The White House did not inform lawmakers before the strike .
It was expected to give classified briefings to members of Congress and staff in the afternoon .
Defense Secretary Mark Esper notified House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of the strike shortly before the Pentagon confirmed it publicly .
Pompeo called world leaders Friday to explain and defend Trump ’ s decision to order the airstrike that has sparked fears of an explosion of anti-American protests as well as more violence in the already unstable Middle East .
The State Department said Pompeo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Afghanistan , Britain , China , France , Germany and Pakistan .
In his calls with the British and German foreign ministers as well as China ’ s state councilor , Pompeo stressed that Trump acted to counter an imminent threat to U.S. lives in the region but also that the U.S. is committed to “ de-escalation ” of tensions , according to the department ’ s summaries of the conversations .
De-escalation was not mentioned in the department ’ s summary of his call with the French foreign minister , nor in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ashraf Ghani or the Pakistani military chief of staff .
In those calls Pompeo “ underscored the Iranian regime ’ s destabilizing actions through the region and the Trump Administration ’ s resolve in protecting American interests , personnel , facilities and partners , ” the department said .
Trump opted not to play a round of golf on Friday , and he was not expected to be seen publicly until he travels to Miami for an afternoon event for his reelection campaign .
Zeke Miller , Robert Burns and Lolita Baldor reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mascaro and Matthew Lee contributed .

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump declared Friday that a “reign of terror is over” as he marked the death of an Iranian general killed in a U.S. strike and as the Pentagon scrambled to reinforce the American military presence in the Middle East in preparation for reprisals.
Gen. Qassem Soleimani “made the death of innocent people his sick passion,” Trump said from his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, adding “a lot of lives would have been saved” if he’d been hunted down years ago.
The United States is sending nearly 3,000 more Army troops to the Mideast in the volatile aftermath of the killing ordered by Trump, defense officials said.
Gen. Qassem Soleimani “made the death of innocent people his sick passion,” Trump said.
Also Friday, the Pentagon placed an Army brigade in Italy on alert to fly into Lebanon if needed to protect the American Embassy there, part of a series of military moves to protect U.S. interests in the Middle East. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official said the U.S. could send 130 to more than 700 troops to Beirut from Italy. The official was not authorized to be identified.
Reinforcements were ordered as U.S. officials said they had compelling intelligence that Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force who was killed in the U.S. strike, was planning a significant campaign of violence against the United States.
Officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision not yet announced by the Pentagon, said the new contingent of troops is from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. They are in addition to about 700 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne who deployed to Kuwait earlier this week after the storming of the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad by Iran-backed militiamen and their supporters.
Trump said of Soleimani: “We take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over.”
But the dispatching of extra troops reflects concern about potential Iranian retaliatory action for the killing. It also runs counter to Trump’s repeated push to extract the United States from Mideast conflicts. Prior to this week’s troop deployments, the administration had sent 14,000 additional troops to the Mideast since May, when it first publicly claimed Iran was planning attacks on U.S. interests.
The reinforcements took shape as Trump gave his first comments on the strike, declaring that he ordered the killing of Soleimani because he had killed and wounded many Americans over the years and was plotting to kill many more. “He should have been taken out many years ago,” he added.
The strike marked a major escalation in the conflict between Washington and Iran, as Iran vowed “harsh retaliation” for the killing of the senior military leader. The two nations have faced repeated crises since Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed crippling sanctions.
The United States urged its citizens to leave Iraq “immediately” as fears mounted that the strike and any retaliation by Iran could ignite a conflict that engulfs the region.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the strike as “wholly lawful,” saying that Soleimani posed an “imminent” threat against the U.S. and its interests in the region.
“There was an imminent attack,” Pompeo told Fox News. “The orchestrator, the primary motivator for the attack, was Qassem Soleimani.”
The White House did not inform lawmakers before the strike. It was expected to give classified briefings to members of Congress and staff in the afternoon. Defense Secretary Mark Esper notified House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of the strike shortly before the Pentagon confirmed it publicly.
Pompeo called world leaders Friday to explain and defend Trump’s decision to order the airstrike that has sparked fears of an explosion of anti-American protests as well as more violence in the already unstable Middle East.
The State Department said Pompeo had spoken Friday with top officials in Afghanistan, Britain, China, France, Germany and Pakistan.
In his calls with the British and German foreign ministers as well as China’s state councilor, Pompeo stressed that Trump acted to counter an imminent threat to U.S. lives in the region but also that the U.S. is committed to “de-escalation” of tensions, according to the department’s summaries of the conversations.
De-escalation was not mentioned in the department’s summary of his call with the French foreign minister, nor in his calls with Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani or the Pakistani military chief of staff. In those calls Pompeo “underscored the Iranian regime’s destabilizing actions through the region and the Trump Administration’s resolve in protecting American interests, personnel, facilities and partners,” the department said.
Trump opted not to play a round of golf on Friday, and he was not expected to be seen publicly until he travels to Miami for an afternoon event for his reelection campaign.
Zeke Miller, Robert Burns and Lolita Baldor reported this story. Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Matthew Lee contributed.


pbs--2020-01-03--LISTEN: Appeals court wrestles with subpoena for ex-White House aide McGahn

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Federal appellate judges are wrestling with whether courts should be refereeing a dispute between the House of Representatives and the Trump administration over the testimony of former White House counsel Don McGahn , even in the face of what one judge called the White House ’ s “ broad-scale defiance of congressional investigation.
” A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments Friday over the House Judiciary Committee ’ s effort to compel McGahn ’ s testimony .
The administration appealed after a trial judge rejected its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump have complete immunity from congressional subpoenas for their testimony .
Judge Thomas Griffith , an appointee of President George W. Bush , pressed tough questions on both sides Friday , describing Trump ’ s directive not to cooperate with congressional investigations as “ broad-scale defiance ” that is possibly unprecedented in U.S. history .
Even so , Griffith wondered whether courts should get in the middle of a political dispute between the other two branches of government , especially when Congress has other powers available , including cutting off appropriations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impeachment .
“ That ’ s what the separation of powers means , ” he said .
The committee wants McGahn ’ s testimony as it examines potential obstruction of justice by the Republican president during special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation .
But it has held open the possibility that McGahn ’ s testimony could be important in impeachment , even though the two articles of impeachment adopted last month by the House focus on Ukraine and events that occurred after McGahn left his White House post .
Even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s unclear whether he would have much to say .
Trump could assert executive privilege over some matters , though he allowed McGahn to talk extensively to Mueller ’ s investigators .
The other two judges on the panel are Judith Rogers , an appointee of President Bill Clinton , and Karen Henderson , appointed by President George H.W .
Bush .
Rogers seemed likely to side with the House .
Henderson had only a few questions , although she indicated McGahn might have a strong interest in saying little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Trump , his former client .
Democrats on the Judiciary Committee subpoenaed McGahn well before the start this fall of an impeachment inquiry centered on Trump ’ s request to Ukraine ’ s president that he investigate Trump ’ s Democratic rival Joe Biden and Biden ’ s son as well as an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory alleging Ukraine ’ s interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election .
The Justice Department has asked the appeals court to dismiss the case , saying there ’ s no reason for judges to become involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also says the need for resolving the case is less urgent now that the House has moved ahead with impeachment articles even without McGahn ’ s testimony .

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal appellate judges are wrestling with whether courts should be refereeing a dispute between the House of Representatives and the Trump administration over the testimony of former White House counsel Don McGahn, even in the face of what one judge called the White House’s “broad-scale defiance of congressional investigation.”
A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments Friday over the House Judiciary Committee’s effort to compel McGahn’s testimony. The administration appealed after a trial judge rejected its broad claim that close advisers to President Donald Trump have complete immunity from congressional subpoenas for their testimony.
Judge Thomas Griffith, an appointee of President George W. Bush, pressed tough questions on both sides Friday, describing Trump’s directive not to cooperate with congressional investigations as “broad-scale defiance” that is possibly unprecedented in U.S. history. Even so, Griffith wondered whether courts should get in the middle of a political dispute between the other two branches of government, especially when Congress has other powers available, including cutting off appropriations, stopping the confirmation of judges, even impeachment. “That’s what the separation of powers means,” he said.
The committee wants McGahn’s testimony as it examines potential obstruction of justice by Trump during special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
The committee wants McGahn’s testimony as it examines potential obstruction of justice by the Republican president during special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. But it has held open the possibility that McGahn’s testimony could be important in impeachment, even though the two articles of impeachment adopted last month by the House focus on Ukraine and events that occurred after McGahn left his White House post.
Even if McGahn eventually shows up at the committee, it’s unclear whether he would have much to say. Trump could assert executive privilege over some matters, though he allowed McGahn to talk extensively to Mueller’s investigators.
“What happens then? You’re back here?” Griffith asked.
The other two judges on the panel are Judith Rogers, an appointee of President Bill Clinton, and Karen Henderson, appointed by President George H.W. Bush.
Rogers seemed likely to side with the House. Henderson had only a few questions, although she indicated McGahn might have a strong interest in saying little to the committee to protect his conversations with Trump, his former client.
Democrats on the Judiciary Committee subpoenaed McGahn well before the start this fall of an impeachment inquiry centered on Trump’s request to Ukraine’s president that he investigate Trump’s Democratic rival Joe Biden and Biden’s son as well as an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory alleging Ukraine’s interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
The Justice Department has asked the appeals court to dismiss the case, saying there’s no reason for judges to become involved in a political dispute.
The department also says the need for resolving the case is less urgent now that the House has moved ahead with impeachment articles even without McGahn’s testimony.