Donald Trump is sometimes an unpredictable president. After Iran downed an unmanned drone with a missile, American action was imminent. Trump who has been blowing hot and cold on Iran authorized a strike on a limited number of Iranian military targets as a reprisal for the downing of a US unmanned drone. The drone which costs $130 million was shot down by a SAM of the Iranian republic. The US claimed the drone was in international waters while Iran claimed it had violated its air space. There is no way to verify any of the claims. Trump termed the Iranian attack as a "big mistake' and was expected to showcase the US might with an air strike.
The BBC reported that the attack, which was slated for first light on Saturday, was called off at the last minute by the US President.
Attack called off
No explanation is available as to why the attack was called off. But there is a reason to believe that there was a split on this issue between advisers to the president. The secretary of state and the CIA director were in favor of a surgical strike but top officials in the Pentagon advised caution. World opinion was also not on the American side and Russian president Vladimir Putin referred to an American attack on Iran as a "great calamity." Other than the British, nobody supported American action. India made no comment and most countries of the world in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia did not comment in support of the US plan.
Iran
The US has also accused Iran of trying to sabotage tankers in the Persian Gulf and the strait of Hormuz. They have also published photo footage of Iranian divers trying to remove limpid mines but many people have not bought into the American claim. The Iranians have called the video clips fakes.
The World is wary of the American claim as similar claims of the presence of WMD in Iraq was used to attack Iraq and overthrow Saddam Hussein.
Later, it was revealed that the entire evidence was fabricated. With this background, the world at large is suspicious of American claims and many feel its a ruse to go to war with Iran.
As per available reports, Trump, who some weeks back met the Korean leader Kim, had approved the reprisal attacks on military and missile sites at first light on Friday.
The aim was to keep casualties of both soldiers and civilians at a minimum. Telereport.com, in its international edition, reported that the warplanes and boats were ready for the mission before Trump at the last minute, decided to abort the attack. No reason has been given by the White House for this and no comments have emerged from anyone on this matter. Trump who is so fond of tweeting on all matters is silent.
Last word
Trump is a man of action but this time he seems to have dithered and even if the attacks are mounted at a later date the effect of them as a reprisal will be lost. It is also possible that US intelligence may have uncovered the unsavory news that Iran was prepared for the assault and the Trump administration did not want to risk the loss of any US planes in this expedition which would have shown the US effort in poor light.
