Defense
- President Donald Trump threatened Iran Tuesday afternoon, saying that the country would be held responsible for damage caused by violent protests at the US Embassy in Baghdad.
- Declaring the situation the "anti-Benghazi," he announced on Twitter that the embassy personnel, despite a violent attempt by demonstrators to storm the facility, are safe.
- The protests are said to be in response to US airstrikes on Iran-backed Iraqi militias, groups responsible for a rocket attack that killed and wounded US personnel. The president has placed the blame for the protests and the attack on Iran.
- In a tweet Tuesday afternoon, Trump said Iran "will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE!" He added that "this is not a Warning, it is a Threat."
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President Donald Trump threatened Iran Tuesday afternoon, saying that the country would be held responsible for damage caused by violent protests at the US Embassy in Baghdad.
Protesters stormed the gates of the US embassy in the Iraqi capital on Tuesday. They're suspected supporters of Iranian-backed Iraqi militias targeted by US airstrikes over the weekend in response to a rocket attack that killed and wounded US personnel in Iraq.
Trump quickly placed the blame for the unrest at the embassy at Iran's feet in a tweet Tuesday morning.
In response to the protest at the embassy, the US made the decision to send in around 100 Marines from a special crisis response unit to reinforce the diplomatic outpost.
Tuesday afternoon, Trump announced that embassy personnel are safe, declaring the situation at the embassy the "anti-Benghazi."
In that same tweet, the president said Iran "will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE!" He added that "this is not a Warning, it is a Threat."
This past year has largely been characterized by on-again-off-again tensions with Iran, which the US military has deployed thousands of troops to counter.
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Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2019....Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. Happy New Year!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2019