Following the attack on the US embassy in Baghdad, senior advisers to the president of national security have formulated a range of possible responses to be presented to President Trump, the Reuters news agency reported yesterday. The embassy attack took place four days ago when at least eight rockets landed in the secure “green area” where the US embassy is located.
The “Executive Committee” that convened to discuss the issue at the White House included Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien. They will present their proposals to the President in the near future. Trump will end his term as president on January 20. Until then he has full authority to act militarily as well.
According to an American source, each of the possible reactions should not worsen the situation and is intended to deter further attacks.
The Iraqi army claimed after the latest attack that it was carried out by a foreign group, but the US is pointing the finger of blame at pro-Iranian militias that regularly operate against American interests and facilities in the country. However, no pro-Iranian militia claimed responsibility for the attack.

Last year, the Iranians turned on their supporters against US forces in Iraq after withdrawing from the nuclear deal, following the US withdrawal. The Iranians carried out a series of provocations in the Persian Gulf and against US military bases. After an American citizen died in one of these attacks, President Trump ordered the assassination of the commander of the a-Quds force. Suleimani was assassinated on January 3 and the first anniversary of the assassination could be exploited by Tehran to carry out a ostentatious retaliatory action against President Trump’s outgoing administration.
A senior U.S. official told Reuters AS N “The purpose of the White House meeting was to produce the right set of options that we could present to the president to make sure we deter the Iranians and Shiite militias in Iraq from attacking our people.”
Iranian militias announced in October that they would stop attacking US forces if the Iraqi government presented a timetable for the withdrawal of US forces. President Trump recently announced intentions to reduce the U.S. presence in Iraq. The Americans threatened the Iraqi government that if it did not take over the activities of the pro-Iranian militias against them, they would close the embassy.