Pentagon presenting broad range of military options to Trump
Sept 20, 2019 20:09:51 GMT -5
Post by Berean on Sept 20, 2019 20:09:51 GMT -5
The Pentagon is presenting a 'broad range' of military options to Donald Trump in response to 'Iranian attack' on Saudi oil plants - including a list of air strike targets within the Islamic Republic
President is to be provided a list of strategic targets at the White House today
Trump will also be warned of the grave ramifications of such strikes on Iran
Tehran has warned Washington even limited strikes would summon 'all-out war'
Today Saudi workers were seen repairing the scorched remains of oil facilities
By ROSS IBBETSON FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 06:58 EDT, 20 September 2019 | UPDATED: 07:31 EDT, 20 September 2019
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The Pentagon will present a broad range of military options to Donald Trump today as he weighs his response to what officials say was an Iranian attack on Saudi oil sites.
The President is to be furnished with a list of air strike targets within the Islamic Republic at Friday's White House meeting and will also be warned of the grave consequences.
Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif cautioned yesterday that US notions of 'limited strikes' were incomprehensible and the only response would be 'all-out war.'
The national security meeting is likely to be the first opportunity for a decision on how the US should respond to the attack on a key Middle East ally.
Construction workers surround the scorched Saudi Aramco oil facility in Khurais. Fahad Abdulkarim, Aramco's general manager for the southern area oil operation, said: 'We are working 24/7'
Any decision may depend on what kind of evidence the US and Saudi investigators are able to provide proving that the cruise missile and drone strike was launched by Iran, as a number of officials, including secretary of state Mike Pompeo, have claimed.
Iran has denied involvement and warned the US that any attack will spark an 'all-out war' with immediate retaliation.
Mr Pompeo and vice president Mike Pence have condemned the attack on Saudi oil facilities as 'an act of war'. Mr Pence said the president will 'review the facts, and he'll make a decision about next steps', adding: 'The American people can be confident that the United States of America is going to defend our interest in the region, and we're going to stand with our allies.'
The US response could involve military, political and economic actions, and the military options could range from no action at all to air strikes or less visible moves such as cyberattacks.
One likely move would be for the US to provide additional military support to help Saudi Arabia defend itself from attacks from the north, since most of its defences have focused on threats from Houthis in Yemen to the south.
General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, emphasised on Monday that the question of whether the US responds is a 'political judgment' and not for the military.
'It is my job to provide military options to the president should he decide to respond with military force,' Gen Dunford said.
Full story with pictures and video at link
President is to be provided a list of strategic targets at the White House today
Trump will also be warned of the grave ramifications of such strikes on Iran
Tehran has warned Washington even limited strikes would summon 'all-out war'
Today Saudi workers were seen repairing the scorched remains of oil facilities
By ROSS IBBETSON FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 06:58 EDT, 20 September 2019 | UPDATED: 07:31 EDT, 20 September 2019
8
shares
127
View comments
The Pentagon will present a broad range of military options to Donald Trump today as he weighs his response to what officials say was an Iranian attack on Saudi oil sites.
The President is to be furnished with a list of air strike targets within the Islamic Republic at Friday's White House meeting and will also be warned of the grave consequences.
Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif cautioned yesterday that US notions of 'limited strikes' were incomprehensible and the only response would be 'all-out war.'
The national security meeting is likely to be the first opportunity for a decision on how the US should respond to the attack on a key Middle East ally.
Construction workers surround the scorched Saudi Aramco oil facility in Khurais. Fahad Abdulkarim, Aramco's general manager for the southern area oil operation, said: 'We are working 24/7'
Any decision may depend on what kind of evidence the US and Saudi investigators are able to provide proving that the cruise missile and drone strike was launched by Iran, as a number of officials, including secretary of state Mike Pompeo, have claimed.
Iran has denied involvement and warned the US that any attack will spark an 'all-out war' with immediate retaliation.
Mr Pompeo and vice president Mike Pence have condemned the attack on Saudi oil facilities as 'an act of war'. Mr Pence said the president will 'review the facts, and he'll make a decision about next steps', adding: 'The American people can be confident that the United States of America is going to defend our interest in the region, and we're going to stand with our allies.'
The US response could involve military, political and economic actions, and the military options could range from no action at all to air strikes or less visible moves such as cyberattacks.
One likely move would be for the US to provide additional military support to help Saudi Arabia defend itself from attacks from the north, since most of its defences have focused on threats from Houthis in Yemen to the south.
General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, emphasised on Monday that the question of whether the US responds is a 'political judgment' and not for the military.
'It is my job to provide military options to the president should he decide to respond with military force,' Gen Dunford said.
Full story with pictures and video at link