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Today's News (2020/1/10)
Jan. 10th, 2020 10:48 pmUS dismisses Iraq request to work on a troop withdrawal plan
https://apnews.com/182bae76452d7565b0a3d840ff0369cb
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s caretaker prime minister asked Washington to work out a road map for an American troop withdrawal, but the U.S. State Department on Friday bluntly rejected the request, saying the two sides should instead talk about how to “recommit” to their partnership.
Thousands of anti-government protesters turned out in the capital and southern Iraq, many calling on both Iran and America to leave Iraq, reflecting their anger and frustration over the two rivals — both allies of Baghdad — trading blows on Iraqi soil.
...
Iraqis feel furious and helpless at being caught in the middle of the fighting. Abdul-Mahdi has said he rejects all violations of Iraqi sovereignty, including both the Iranian and U.S. strikes.
The State Department flatly dismissed Abdul-Mahdi’s request, saying U.S. troops are crucial for the fight against the Islamic State group and it would not discuss removing them.
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U.S. says any delegation to Iraq would not discuss troop withdrawal
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-usa-delegation-idUSKBN1Z91MG
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Any delegation the United States would send to Iraq would not discuss the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country, the U.S. State Department said on Friday, saying the force presence there was “appropriate.”
“There does, however, need to be a conversation between the U.S. and Iraqi governments not just regarding security, but about our financial, economic, and diplomatic partnership,” department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.
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Report: Trump Ordered Iran Strike Because of Impeachment Fears
Was there actually an “imminent” threat, or was it a political calculation?
[Note: while this is Mother Jones, the primary claim in the story comes from and is credited to The Wall Street Journal.]
https://www.motherjones.com/impeachment/2020/01/report-trump-ordered-iran-strike-because-of-impeachment-fears/
But while the White House continues to be all over the map on this, a new report appears to confirm a sneaking suspicion held by Trump critics for why Trump ordered the strike at this very point in his presidency. From the Wall Street Journal:
"Mr. Trump, after the strike, told associates he was under pressure to deal with Gen. Soleimani from GOP senators he views as important supporters in his coming impeachment trial in the Senate."
The New York Times reported something similar this week, stating that Trump had said in a phone call that “he had been pressured to take a harder line on Iran by some Republican senators whose support he needs now more than ever amid an impeachment battle.”
-----
White House considering dramatic expansion of travel ban
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/white-house-considering-dramatic-expansion-of-travel-ban/
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is considering dramatically expanding its much-litigated travel ban to additional countries amid a renewed election-year focus on immigration by President Donald Trump, according to six people familiar with the deliberations.
...
It’s unclear exactly how many countries would be included in the expansion if it proceeds, but two of the people said that seven countries — a majority of them Muslim — would be added to the list. The most recent iteration of the ban includes restrictions on five majority-Muslim nations: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, as well as Venezuela and North Korea.
-----
Iran Says It Unintentionally Shot Down Ukrainian Airliner
“The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake,” President Hassan Rouhani said, as Iran reversed its claims that mechanical failure was to blame.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/10/world/middleeast/missile-iran-plane-crash.html
[This after continuing to deny it as shortly as a few hours earlier. But at least they've fessed up, I guess.]
-----
Pelosi ends standoff with Senate Republicans over impeachment articles
She said she'll send articles of impeachment to the Senate next week.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/10/pelosi-to-send-impeachment-articles-to-senate-after-weeks-long-delay-097185
Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Friday she will send the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate next week, ending a heated standoff with Republicans over the terms of the impeachment trial.
https://apnews.com/182bae76452d7565b0a3d840ff0369cb
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s caretaker prime minister asked Washington to work out a road map for an American troop withdrawal, but the U.S. State Department on Friday bluntly rejected the request, saying the two sides should instead talk about how to “recommit” to their partnership.
Thousands of anti-government protesters turned out in the capital and southern Iraq, many calling on both Iran and America to leave Iraq, reflecting their anger and frustration over the two rivals — both allies of Baghdad — trading blows on Iraqi soil.
...
Iraqis feel furious and helpless at being caught in the middle of the fighting. Abdul-Mahdi has said he rejects all violations of Iraqi sovereignty, including both the Iranian and U.S. strikes.
The State Department flatly dismissed Abdul-Mahdi’s request, saying U.S. troops are crucial for the fight against the Islamic State group and it would not discuss removing them.
-----
U.S. says any delegation to Iraq would not discuss troop withdrawal
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-usa-delegation-idUSKBN1Z91MG
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Any delegation the United States would send to Iraq would not discuss the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country, the U.S. State Department said on Friday, saying the force presence there was “appropriate.”
“There does, however, need to be a conversation between the U.S. and Iraqi governments not just regarding security, but about our financial, economic, and diplomatic partnership,” department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.
-----
Report: Trump Ordered Iran Strike Because of Impeachment Fears
Was there actually an “imminent” threat, or was it a political calculation?
[Note: while this is Mother Jones, the primary claim in the story comes from and is credited to The Wall Street Journal.]
https://www.motherjones.com/impeachment/2020/01/report-trump-ordered-iran-strike-because-of-impeachment-fears/
But while the White House continues to be all over the map on this, a new report appears to confirm a sneaking suspicion held by Trump critics for why Trump ordered the strike at this very point in his presidency. From the Wall Street Journal:
"Mr. Trump, after the strike, told associates he was under pressure to deal with Gen. Soleimani from GOP senators he views as important supporters in his coming impeachment trial in the Senate."
The New York Times reported something similar this week, stating that Trump had said in a phone call that “he had been pressured to take a harder line on Iran by some Republican senators whose support he needs now more than ever amid an impeachment battle.”
-----
White House considering dramatic expansion of travel ban
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/white-house-considering-dramatic-expansion-of-travel-ban/
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is considering dramatically expanding its much-litigated travel ban to additional countries amid a renewed election-year focus on immigration by President Donald Trump, according to six people familiar with the deliberations.
...
It’s unclear exactly how many countries would be included in the expansion if it proceeds, but two of the people said that seven countries — a majority of them Muslim — would be added to the list. The most recent iteration of the ban includes restrictions on five majority-Muslim nations: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, as well as Venezuela and North Korea.
-----
Iran Says It Unintentionally Shot Down Ukrainian Airliner
“The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake,” President Hassan Rouhani said, as Iran reversed its claims that mechanical failure was to blame.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/10/world/middleeast/missile-iran-plane-crash.html
[This after continuing to deny it as shortly as a few hours earlier. But at least they've fessed up, I guess.]
-----
Pelosi ends standoff with Senate Republicans over impeachment articles
She said she'll send articles of impeachment to the Senate next week.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/10/pelosi-to-send-impeachment-articles-to-senate-after-weeks-long-delay-097185
Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Friday she will send the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate next week, ending a heated standoff with Republicans over the terms of the impeachment trial.
