#BREAKING US targeting 52 Iranian sites if Tehran attacks Americans, President Donald Trump says pic.twitter.com/dLsYFb0KmI
— AFP news agency (@AFP) January 4, 2020
….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, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020
Remember back when Trump called off the airstrike against Iran and pretended it was because it would be disproportionate?
Now he’s threatening to hit 52 targets if Iran attacks *any* American target. https://t.co/0NFVl8oqI4
— Nicholas Miller (@Nick_L_Miller) January 4, 2020
For what it's worth, I find it hard to believe the Pentagon would provide Trump targeting options that include Iranian cultural sites. Trump may not care about the laws of war, but DoD planners and lawyers do…and targeting cultural sites is war crime. https://t.co/HXvJM0kdl0
— Colin Kahl (@ColinKahl) January 4, 2020
Iraqi official: At least one rocket has landed inside the Green Zone, a secured 10-square-kilometer area in central Baghdad, and another in the Jadiriyah neighborhood of Baghdad. No reports of casualties or damage to buildings. https://t.co/Nc24Rsvlja
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 4, 2020
BREAKING: Iran has informed an envoy from Oman that it will not accept mediation between it and the United States, and instead will only seek revenge.
— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) January 4, 2020
'Death to America': grief and fury as thousands mourn death of Qassem Suleimani – video report https://t.co/vCW2BxJ5DI
— The Guardian (@guardian) January 4, 2020
Thousands of Iraqis came out for Soleimani’s funeral today.
So not only is Iran angry with the United States, much of Iraq is too.
And thousands of Americans are over there.
While Trump is in his THIRD WEEK of Florida golf and vacation time.
— Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) January 4, 2020
"The death of Qassim Suleimani strengthened the hand of hard-liners, experts say, and undermined those who have tried to normalize relations with the West…now, Iran is united — in anger at the United States" https://t.co/gBtxUqHVGa
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) January 4, 2020
The crowds of mourners from Iran to Iraq to Gaza don’t count I guess. Neither does his 80+% approval rating in Iran.
File this under “they’ll greet us as liberators!” https://t.co/uWpjrka29L
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) January 4, 2020
The American assassination of General Suleimani may make it impossible for U.S. forces to stay in Iraq. That could ease an ISIS comeback, former defense and intelligence officials say.https://t.co/MITtUQLk3G
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 4, 2020
Is the U.S. headed to war with Iran? Dexter Filkins, who profiled Qassem Suleimani in 2013, joins David Remnick on @NewYorkerRadio to discuss the assassination of the Iranian military commander. https://t.co/yV4njRi7JN
— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) January 4, 2020
"When Iran does respond, its response will likely be multifaceted and occur at unpredictable times and in multiple places," writes @AmbassadorRice https://t.co/yP1dtRetSd
— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) January 4, 2020
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TRUMPWORLD
EXCLUSIVE: In the five days prior to launching a strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, Donald Trump roamed the halls of Mar-a-Lago, and started dropping hints to close associates and club-goers that something huge was coming https://t.co/SwgQ3ATYYz
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) January 4, 2020
As we consider Trump’s decisions re Iran, recall that his own National Security Advisor John Bolton has suggested that Trump makes some foreign policy decisions based on his own personal and financial interests. https://t.co/HCupfvQs1Z
— Ian Bassin (@ianbassin) January 4, 2020
Would be worth knowing if any of them bought oil futures https://t.co/0MmyNY5ydI
— Michelle Goldberg (@michelleinbklyn) January 4, 2020
No. No. Negative. Untrue. False. Incorrect. In no way the case. No. https://t.co/GaQI0JVcbg
— God (@TheTweetOfGod) January 4, 2020
— Pablo Rodríguez (@Suanzes) January 4, 2020
“Isn’t backed up by established accounts..” or maybe “is a lie” https://t.co/BMQ13Csfuz
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) January 4, 2020
Meanwhile…
The emails show that not only did Trump know the Ukraine aid was illegal—but the DOJ was trying as recently as last month to cover it up https://t.co/V1psJh2TZ6
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) January 4, 2020
“Are we now going to try to impeach and remove from office the commander-in-chief who’s just taken out one of the world’s leading terrorists? That’s quite a question, I suggest.” https://t.co/fDPu47L0Se
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) January 4, 2020
Because they’ve seen this movie before and know how it ends. #NoWarInIran https://t.co/k6Y3QjIQgW
— ian russell (@itsianrussell) January 4, 2020
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BREXITSHAMBLES BRITAIN
Boris Johnson’s silence on Suleimani assassination is ‘deafening’ say critics https://t.co/YPNsmqtQJ5
— The Guardian (@guardian) January 4, 2020
Gunboat Diplomacy for our time. pic.twitter.com/GlNp2b9KB9
— John O’Brennan (@JohnOBrennan2) January 4, 2020
My article for tomorrow's @ObserverUK on the assassination of Suleimani, the unforgivable idiocy of Donald Trump in ignoring the lessons of recent history, and the inexplicable silence of Boris Johnson: https://t.co/n8Z6l7ekxS
— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) January 4, 2020
Obviously this is a pitch to the Labour membership. Even so, much of this is more evidence that Labour is now the party of nostalgia. https://t.co/DQKeSeoYSC
— alexmassie (@alexmassie) January 4, 2020
COBRA emergency meeting minutes.
Chaired by Mark Francois at TGI Fridays Basildon.
Present:@DominicRaab@MI5@trussliz@BritishArmy@RossKemp@RoyalAirForce@RichardHammond@BritishNavy@EatKnuckleFritz@JohnnyMercerUK
Apologies for absence:@BorisJohnson
— Mark ne-Francois-pas MP 🇬🇧 (@MarkFrancois12) January 3, 2020
***
WORLD
The temperature in Sydney hit a record 48.9C today https://t.co/AhSaTn9qtR
— Tony Tassell (@TonyTassell) January 4, 2020
Governing well is difficult. Competing interests, public scrutiny, mass-scale service delivery – it's complicated stuff. But the greatest dereliction of duty is wilfully ignoring evidence for political gain. #Climatefires have been predicted for over a decade.👇 #AustraliaFires https://t.co/fAydF9jIMz
— Verity Firth (@VerityFirth) January 4, 2020
Jakarta flooding deaths rise to 53, nearly 175,000 displaced https://t.co/CX5WgWfr2U pic.twitter.com/BijlqQvhUm
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 4, 2020
Rather than send resources, blank checks, & our soldiers to Iran, we could be sending them to places like Jakarta & Australia where they’re actually needed. https://t.co/m9ep96UPUa
— Simar Ahluwalia (@sahluwal) January 4, 2020
Oh but, hey…
Meat Loaf says Greta Thunberg has been brainwashed into thinking climate change is real https://t.co/8A5CslPmjF
— The Independent (@Independent) January 4, 2020
The Overnight Note 