Trump did not describe an “imminent threat” that led to his decision to kill Soleimani, the justification used by administration officials in the aftermath of the attack.
Instead, he described Soleimani as a “noted terrorist” who “was down on our list” and “was supposed to be in his country” before traveling to other nations in the region.
Trump described in detail watching remotely as Soleimani arrived at Baghdad International Airport, where he was met by Iraqi paramilitary leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the head of Kata’ib Hezbollah.
Trump claimed erroneously that Soleimani was meeting “the head of Hezbollah” (the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group is separate from group led by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis).
And he claimed the strike he authorized took out “two for the price of one.”
He went on to recount listening to military officials as they watched the strike from “cameras that are miles in the sky.”
“They’re together sir,” Trump recalled the military officials saying. “Sir, they have two minutes and 11 seconds. No emotion. ‘2 minutes and 11 seconds to live, sir. They’re in the car, they’re in an armored vehicle. Sir, they have approximately one minute to live, sir. 30 seconds. 10, 9, 8 …’ “
“Then all of a sudden, boom,” he went on. “‘They’re gone, sir. Cutting off.’ “
“I said, where is this guy?” Trump continued. “That was the last I heard from him.” "
As an aside Trump also declared "who cares about the budget" at this event. Trumpists foolishly believe that piling on more debt will lead to their everlasting prosperity. The reverse is actually the case.
Actual conservatives believe in stuff like small government, governments not telling people how to live, frugal budgets, free trade and personal resilience. Trump is a fascist.
cheers
