Trump: Rash decision led to 176 needless deaths
President Trump’s recent decision to have Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani killed at Baghdad’s airport by a drone strike brought an expected response from Iran: a missile strike against US forces in Iraq.
Unfortunately, one of those missiles accidentally hit a Ukrainian Airlines commercial airliner leaving the airport, for which Iran admitted responsibility.
Had Trump not ordered the killing of Soleimani, Iran would not have launched missiles and 176 totally innocent people killed would not have had to die in the ensuing plane crash.
Are their deaths just considered collateral damage? Are they considered expendables in our killing of the Iranian general?
Trump has openly bragged about no US casualties in Iran’s retaliatory strike. What about these 176 plane crash victims? Why doesn’t he mention them as well? Because doing so would put the spotlight on him as setting in motion the events which led to their tragic deaths.
This sad excuse for a president needs to be removed from office before his knee-jerk diplomacy causes more harm or tragedy.
Bill Adams, Des Moines
This story was originally published January 21, 2020 at 2:19 PM with the headline "Trump: Rash decision led to 176 needless deaths."