US News

• Mayor Pete is pushing for the US to take action in Syria. Daniel Larison explains why Mayor Pete’s ‘do-somethingism’ is a foolish policy. [Link]
• The Department of Homeland Security says there are no credible threats to the US homeland. [Link]

Soleimani Assassination 

• Trump said Soleimani was killed because he had killed Americans and planned to kill more. After the killing of Soleimani, Secretary of State Pompeo said the US carried out the attack to prevent an inanimate attack that endangered 100s of US soldiers. Pompeo said the US is committed to de-escalation. [Link]
• Iran says Soleimani was in Iraq to give a message to Saudi Arabia. Saudi and Iran have been working through Iraqi back channels to reduce tensions. [Link]
• Iraq’s prime minister – along with most other high rankings and influential Shia Iraqis – condemn the assassination of Soleimani. [Link]
• The US urges all citizens to leave Iraq. [Link]
• US oil workers in southern Iraq are leaving the country following the US assassination of Soleimani. [Link]
• The US will deploy about 3,500 paratroopers to the Middle East. [Link] The US will also deploy a task force of Army Rangers. [Link]
• The US will designate the Iraqi Shia militia Asaib Ahl al-Haq a terror group. [Link]
• The US-led coalition fighting IS says its new mission is to protest coalition forces. [Link] The coalition has also paused the training of Iraqi forces. [Link]
• NATO suspended the training of Iraqi forces. [Link]
• Trump threatens to strike 52 Iranian targets if Iran responds to the American assassination of Soleimani. [Link]
• Trump ‘informs’ Congress through Twitter that if Iran targets Americans he will strike back, even with disproportionate force. [Link]
• Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi says the House will vote on a War Powers Resolution to limit Trump’s war-making abilities against Iran. [Link]
• Trump gives a report to Congress on the operation and decision to assassinate Soleimani. The entire document is classified. [Link] 
• Americans respond to the assassnation with protests in cities across the country. [Link]
• On Saturday, several reports of rockets hitting Iraqi bases and various sites around Baghdad. [Link]
• Three Rockets hit Baghdad on Sunday. [Link]
• Iraq’s parliament passed a resolution that calls for working to have the withdrawal of all foreign forces. The resolution targets the US. Iraq’s Prime Minister – who is in a caretaker’s role – said he is working on a plan to expel all foreign troops. [Link] In response to the resolution, Trump says the US will not leave Iraq until Iraq pay the US for military infrastructure the US built. Trump says he can force the Iraqis to pay through sanctions. [Link]
• Iran names the Quds Force deputy Esmail Ghaani to replace Soleimani as the head of the Quds force. [Link]
• Iran said it will retaliate against the US for the killing of Soleimani. [Link]
• Iran says it will no longer abide by the limits set in the Nuclear Deal. The US withdrew from the deal in May of 2018, and at the time, Iran was still complying with the deal. After the US left the deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran, Iran has stepped back from its commitments to the deal. Iran will continue to allow IAEA inspections of its facilities. [Link]