A boy carries a portrait of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in the U.S. airstrike in Iraq, prior to the Friday prayers in Tehran, Iran, Friday Jan. 3, 2020. Iran has vowed "harsh retaliation" for the U.S. airstrike near Baghdad's airport that killed Tehran's top general and the architect of its interventions across the Middle East, as tensions soared in the wake of the targeted killing.
In its limited explanation so far, the Pentagon said Gen. Qassem Soleimani was “actively developing” plans to kill American diplomats and service members when he was killed in a U.S. drone strike Friday near the Baghdad airport shortly after arriving in the country. That justification would apply even if Soleimani hadn’t already launched an attack under the established doctrine of “anticipatory” self-defense, according to Jeff Addicot, a retired Army officer and expert in national security law at St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio.
“Under international law, self-defense, to be lawful, will need to be invoked in situations where there is an imminent attack against the interest of the territory, in this case of the United States,” said Agnès Callamard, United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions. “At this point in time, the United States has not thus far provided any information suggesting that there was an imminent attack against the American interest.
Democratic leaders of Congress have complained that they weren’t notified of the strike in advance. Chesney said the administration could likely argue that it has legal authority to protect the troops in the Middle East who were dispatched there under congressional authorizations passed in 2001 and 2002 in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Quit supporting terrorism...
Our military have the right to kill our enemy period. These terrorist hate this country and us all. Yet the left love them, support them coming here as refugees? They’re nuts. Vote red, we can’t allow the left to set a trap for us like 9/11.
If Obama can send a pallet of cash then Trump can send a bomb
Grasping at straws. Impeachment is dead get over it AP EnemyOfThePeople FakeNews
Trump is a killer! I am angry now! Usa for my no exist moore, everybody must ignore them, and not make deals withe them!
Wait, if the facts aren't yet known, how is it 'probably' legal?
Awe. But what about legal authority for Bush and Obama?! What about those Congress authorizations. Now y’all want congress oversight.
Thank you AP for asking probing questions about the human rights of the worlds leading terrorist, so cutting edge!
He was a leader of a prolific terrorist organization. What is your problem? Get a grip anti-Americans living in America that call yourselves patriots.
Iran’s Quds leader shot down - fact!
Did obama have authority to give Iran millions in cash -N0 -that money is probably what Iran is using to buy wespons.
He was a terrorist has no rights.
And so far, Trump hasn’t provided any evidence to support his claim of imminent threat. Could his be the next cause for impeaching Trump?
Whatever AP. Always questioning the President!
Did Obama?
He doesn’t care.
Iran needs a lesson!
_Politics 'when the President thinks 'it is essential to limit access' to information about a covert action, 50 U.S.C. § 3093(c)(2) allows the President to limit reporting to the Gang of Eight.' The Gang of Eight weren't informed. Graham isn't one of them
yep
oh, now you care about facts?
Really? Was it legal to bomb a foreign agent....on foreign soil?
THE FUCKING SHORT ANSWER IS NO!! ap shit stains
Don’t think so it was not fair how you can kill anyone that he may not attack you until his any act
This time Trump was very right. I dont jnderstand why is media do afraid. I remember when America started wars in Serbia,Iraq, Lybia, Syria... cnn was first fart live and u all cool. NOW u all pretending ti be worry because is Trump.
Yes talk to a constitutional scholar or lawyer. A President is well within their power to 'make war' not 'declare war' which needs to be approved by Congress. Look at past actions by past presidents - this is not brain surgery . TheGreatAwakening
_Politics Ummm he wasn’t a military leader, he was head of their paramilitary terrorist forces. There’s a difference.
No. Extraterritorial assassination is some Mossad-ass bs. Not suitable for a so- called democracy.
The Saudi oil is the fact that is known.
FakeNews
He had more than legal authority, he had the American people’s blessing
'Probably'? Are you kidding? Where does this alleged authority come from, then? A country's laws cannot supply a country's Government with the authority to carry out an act which is illegal in terms of international law, & that is the relevant law in this case. The US & Iraq are
“Legal” ≠ Smart, Correct, In the best interests of the planet, in the best interest of our country, etc
Iran is always a threat
His responsibility is to make Americans safe, whether here or abroad. He doesn’t need to answer to Pelosi’s and her daycare, when it comes to fighting terrorist.
He’s not a top Iranian general. Stop with the propaganda. He was a terrorist in a terrorist organization, not in the Iranian official military. This narrative and lying to the American people by the media must STOP!! FakeNews EnemyofthePeople
it is shocking
Sounds like impeachment ... facts not yet known;
This general was a strong foe of ISIS and al-Qaada, leading to their defeat in Iraq and Syria. He also protected Syrian Christians from western backed jihadists there. Let's bring a little truth to the American people instead of a bunch of pro war propaganda for a change.
here's one good reason:
Since when does legality have anything to do with what Trump does? Once in a while he might do something legal, but only accidentally, there is never consideration for what it legal.
Absolute BS
'Self-defense would be a legal justification under both U.S. law and the laws of international armed conflict...[however] this would depend on what intelligence prompted the killing, and American authorities may never release that information.” So, take their word for it 🙄
Yes he did
“Even though theExecutiveBranch hasPursued ever-broader theories of thePresident’s unilateral power2use force inSelf-defense 1of the critical considerations inEachCase has been whether theForce comes w/a risk of escalation”Vladeck said ”Where asHere there'sNoQuestion that it does
Even if he did, everything about it was wrong. I guess that's part for the course with Trump, though.
Wow...🙄
you want Bengazi V2 ? the news agency lost their minds whore_media
Absolutely!
Common sense tells us that there must have been very few days on which Soleimani was NOT “actively developing” plans to kill Americans. Why erase him at this particular point in time? Hmmm....
Soleimani killed 603 American servicemembers. Soleimani maimed thousands more with IEDs. Soleimani approved the attack on the U.S. Embassy. He was plotting to kill more Americans. Yes he deserves to be dead. If you’re lamenting his death, you hate Trump more than a terrorist.
I’m sure he was just “rooting out corruption” again. 🙄
Don’t remember the MSM asking this question when Obama took out bin Laden.
People have short memories, and you are capitalizing on it. Thwarting known threats should have been done yrs ago. Iran is responsible for hundreds of thousands deaths by proxy. I preferred AP's article that explained the extensive history of this man.
How can anyone properly assess the legality when we can't trust the source of information/intelligence?
Congress lost purpose thru this harsh hush hush decision. I am a secular but I know how great mind works. I saw none at work within the 12days of Christmas.
Did the general have legal authority to murder countless victims for the past 20 years?
Todays Looking for ways to hurt their President for taking out a Terrorist responsible for 100' if not 1000's of Americans, and maiming many more for life!
“If the facts are as the Defense Department said, then the president relatively clearly has Article II authority to act in self-defense of American lives,” Chesney said. -encouraging but since we can see when trump LIES is when his lips r moving ... gotta Pray let God&let go
And yet here is an article speculating unknown facts...
real embarrassing shit
No
That guy has to return that painting soon. It was covering up a hole in the wall.
Did they have legal basis for raising US Embassy or killing innocent people? I think US has to show who we are to our enemies. To prevent war you need to be strong and hold your ground. Nobody wants war or conflict.
Legal authority to kill: what an Orwellian dystopian headline.
“He was a terrorist” - Chuck Schumer
Is AP propaganda machine for Iran now? The photo is typical of what would run in Iranian media but seems a poor choice for AP to use it on a story questioning trumps authority.
When journalists answer “probably” you know some serious fake news is about to go down. Trump2020
The only answer is YES.
Who gives a fuck
Enemy of the 🇺🇸 people indeed.
Down with USA, we will get a hard revenge
Does Trump care? No
This is just more stupid AP spinning. Look at the poor guy with the photo of his dead hero. Poor terrorists. Evil USA.
Yes! He is Commander and Chief. It was a military attack. As head of the military, he was doing his job.
Sorry for your loss. AP, Main Stream Media News & Democrats are the enemy within!
Looks like fake news is heading for new lows in 2020. 🤔
THIS CHILD KNOWS ABOUT HOW GOOD, HOW CLEVER AND HOW MORALLY UNTOUCHED WAS THE TOP IRANIAN MILITARY GENERAL SO HE WENT OUT FOR A SHORT WALK CARRYING GENERAL'S PHOTO INTO A GORGEOUS ORNATE PHOTO FRAME...!!
Where in the constitution does the President has the power to conduct assasinations?
The answer isnt probably. Its YES. Was this questions asked by you as well when Obama approved a trip into Pakistan to take out OBL? Or are ya playing games bc you know who is at the helm?
It was self defence !
He and GOP are still creating the facts. realDonaldTrump
Not probably! He LIED about an imminent attack to justify what he did AND he didn’t go through Congress nor let the gang of 8 know ahead of time.
We don’t care what the facts say or will say. All we know that our President did not allow a repeated Benghazi!! Thank you.
I'll definitely maybe read this article.
Uhhh, a combatant in a congressionally authorized war zone? More importantly what was an Iranian General doing in Baghdad, Iraq? Wrong place, wrong time? Or leading Iranian backed militias? Yeah, it was legal because it was pre-authorized in the early 2000’s!!!
answers yes
You guys found a single picture of a brainwashed child mourning, when the rest of Iran and Iraq is celebrating the death of a tyrant. Despicable. Fake news is alive and well in ap
Yes didn’t they just attack our embassy in Iraq and put Americans lives at risk? What was he doing in Iraq anyway with hezbollah leaders...
The real short answer: yes, yes he did Don’t attack an American embassy while Trump is president
This is Iran propaganda picture.
He was a Iranian terrorist fomenting attacks in IRAQ...not a general
Unfortunately, with the Trump track of lying and misleading to benefit himself and/or his ego, the AM. public has been bombarded with more misinformation then at any other time in our history. There is no reason to believe we will ever know the truth Donnie is a compulsive liar.
These wars were planned long before Trump took office...And have stretched from the Bush Administration through Obama’s. Now Iran is the last on the list.
lol AP: Yes he did Also AP: Let me try to spin this to make you think he didn't.
In the end, it will show the world's situation is liken to the game of Jenga where each move should be EXTREMELY thoughtful and measured. It will show Trump to be COMPLETELY WRECKLESS in what he has done and fit for REMOVAL!
Had he ? I don't know, but I'm glad he did.
Absolutely NOT. Did you asked Obama when he killed OsamaBinLaden?
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