Pompeo says there was an imminent threat

Pompeo on Qassem Soleimani strike: Iran now understands Trump will take 'decisive' action

By ordering the airstrike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, President Trump has demonstrated to Iran's leaders that he will take "swift, decisive" actions to protect Americans, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday on "Fox & Friends."

Pompeo stressed that the Trump administration has shown military "restraint" in the face of dozens of attacks directed by Iran and its proxies against American interests, culminating in the death of an American contractor in Iraq last week.

"I think the Iranian leadership understands President Trump will take action. ... We made very clear that these responses would be swift and decisive. 

"We have now demonstrated that. I hope the Iranian leadership will see that and see American resolve and that their decision will be to de-escalate and take actions consistent with what normal nations do. 

"In the event that they do not and they go in the other direction, I know that President Trump and the entire United States government is prepared to respond appropriately," said Pompeo.

. . . .

Pompeo said the strike was carried out to prevent an "imminent attack" by forces directed by Soleimani.

"He's got hundreds of American lives and blood on his hands. 

"What was sitting before us was his travels throughout the region, his efforts to make a significant strike against Americans.

"There would have been many Muslims killed as well, Iraqis and people in other countries. 

"It was a strike that was aimed at disrupting that plot, disrupting further aggression and we hope, setting the conditions for de-escalation as well," he said.

He and Mark Meadows (the latter just now on live cable news) are making Trumpist points for the GOP base, defending this move as a positive change from weak Obama's weak handling of Iran.

Pompeo said Trump has taken a "fundamentally different" approach to dealing with Iran, arguing the country was emboldened by the softer policies of the Obama administration.

"We didn't send pallets of cash to the Iranians. We didn't pay for hostages. We didn't create a deal which would have given them a clear pathway to a nuclear weapon. 

"We have taken a very different approach. We believe it's the one that will ultimately lead to success and stability in the Middle East," he said.