Mike Pompeo Shifts Rationale for Soleimani Killing From ‘Imminent’ Threat to Deterrence Strategy

Mike Pompeo Shifts Rationale for Soleimani Killing From ‘Imminent’ Threat to Deterrence Strategy

The Trump administration’s initial justification for the 3 January strike that killed Iran’s Soleimani was the threat of “imminent” attacks against American interests. That rationale proved shaky over the past two weeks, with government officials contradicting one another and even themselves. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that the assassination of Qassem Soleimani was part of a “bigger strategy” to deter Iran and other US rivals, including Russia and China, in what marked a significant departure from Washington’s original account.