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Will The US-Iran Tension Pass Without War, Downed Plane Complicates Situation
Earlier this week, Caracal Reports detailed the ongoing tension between the United States and Iran after US President Donald Trump ordered a drone strike which killed Irani Major General Qassem Soleimani and four others.
Since that report, Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at two Iraqi military bases, both hosting US military personnel, according to the Pentagon. Their January 7th report is below in full:
Statement from Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Jonathan Hoffman:
At approximately 5:30 p.m. (EST) on January 7, Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against U.S. military and coalition forces in Iraq. It is clear that these missiles were launched from Iran and targeted at least two Iraqi military bases hosting U.S. military and coalition personnel at Al-Assad and Irbil.
We are working on initial battle damage assessments.
In recent days and in response to Iranian threats and actions, the Department of Defense has taken all appropriate measures to safeguard our personnel and partners. These bases have been on high alert due to indications that the Iranian regime planned to attack our forces and interests in the region.
As we evaluate the situation and our response, we will take all necessary measures to protect and defend U.S. personnel, partners, and allies in the region.
Due to the dynamic nature of the situation, we will continue to provide updates as they become available.
“Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world,” President Donald Trump said during his White House address on January 8th. He also continued by refuting Irani national television reports by saying there hadn’t been any loss of life for US or Iraqi personnel, crediting an early warning system.
“The United States will immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime,” he would add during the White House address.
However, on January 9th video surfaced of an alleged Irani missile launch around the same time a Ukranian airliner was tragically shot out of the sky. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated they had intelligence stating Iran shot down International Airline Flight 752.
Canada lost 63 citizens in the crash, which is said to have been accidental. However, multiple intelligence shows the commercial aircraft was downed by an Irani surface-to-air missile. Johnson made the following statement:
There is now a body of information that the flight was shot down by an Iranian Surface to Air Missile. This may well have been unintentional. We are working closely with Canada and our international partners and there now needs to be a full, transparent investigation.
Also on January 9th, the US House of Representatives voted in favor (224-194) of House Resolution 781 (H.Res.781) detailed as follows.
“Sets forth the rule for consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 83) directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces to engage in hostilities in or against Iran.”
The full resolution is in full below:
Providing for consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 83) directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces to engage in hostilities in or against Iran.
Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 83) directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces to engage in hostilities in or against Iran. All points of order against consideration of the concurrent resolution are waived. The amendment printed in the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution shall be considered as adopted. The concurrent resolution, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the concurrent resolution, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the concurrent resolution, as amended, to adoption without intervening motion or demand for division of the question except two hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Sec. 2. Section 7 of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1546) shall not apply during the remainder of the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress to a measure respecting Iran.
The Democratic Party in the House is also invoking the War Powers Resolution 1973 (War Powers Act) in an attempt to keep President Trump from using the US military without approval from Congress.