Iran and the US…What’s Going On?

Courtesy of Reuters

By Chris Carey

As the 24-hour news cycle moves on from the Iranian crisis, and as the memes about the draft fade away with the new year, some individuals question the current standing of the United States and Iran in what was very briefly considered the dawn of a third World War.

The tense situation between the two nations met the public eye when the United States military engineered and carried out a drone strike killing General Qasem Soleimani on January 3, 2020. General Soleimani served in the military of Iran, acting as the leader of the Quds Force in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The White House released a statement on April 9, 2019 designating “Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including its Qods Force, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.” 

“Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him,” said President Trump on January 3, 2020. “The United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the number-one terrorist anywhere in the world, Qasem Soleimani.”

This imminent threat claimed by the administration gave the president Constitutional authority to act in order to defend the safety and interest of the American people without first consulting Congress; however, many members of Congress were skeptical towards Trump’s decision to assassinate Soleimani.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi remarked that “this initiation of hostilities was taken without an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iran, without the consultation of the Congress and without the articulation of a clear and legitimate strategy to either the Congress or the public.”

Tension between the Democratic House of Representatives and the Republican White House are at a fever pitch with Impeachment proceedings. Furthermore, with the State of the Union address to occur before a joint session of Congress next Tuesday, February 4, one can expect the president to emphasize his belief that he defended the nation and secured American safety through his actions against Iran. As far as Iranian retaliation, the Iranian government and people have vowed their revenge. On January 8, Iranian missiles damaged multiple US bases, but no Americans were killed. Many experts warn that increased cyber attacks, possible acts of terror, and continued military aggression are on the horizon; however, it is entirely unlikely that this will lead to a traditional war. 

The United States dwarfs Iran in direct military strength as is, and the likelihood of a military draft is nearly zero. Nevertheless, heated tensions in the Middle East coupled with the domestic troubles of Impeachment make for an interesting, albeit worrisome, next couple of months.