Susan Rice, "Americans Are at Risk Due to Soleimani's Killing"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Former U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice has published an op-ed that completely refutes the Trump administration's explanation that the elimination of Qasem Soleimani was a measure to ensure the safety of Americans. She pointed out that the removal of Soleimani would put U.S. Middle East policy in great difficulty, and that the activities of pro-Iranian military groups in the Middle East and terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State (IS) would become more active, further threatening the safety of Americans.

In an op-ed published on the 4th (local time) in The New York Times (NYT), former Advisor Rice warned, "What is clear after the removal of Soleimani is that Americans have become more at risk," and "The removal of Soleimani will lead to a larger-scale war in the Middle East." This is interpreted as a complete rebuttal of the Trump administration's explanation that the removal of Soleimani was a measure to protect the safety of Americans. Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview with U.S. media, "The removal of Soleimani was the right decision," and "It was a measure to protect and safeguard American lives."

Former Advisor Rice criticized that the removal of Soleimani dealt a blow to U.S. Middle East policy in various ways. He said, "Iran has withdrawn from the nuclear agreement, and the activities of pro-Iranian military groups in countries such as Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon, as well as terrorist organizations like the Islamic State (IS), will only become more active," and emphasized, "The Iraqi government will continue to demand the withdrawal of U.S. troops, and if the U.S. military withdraws accordingly, the United States will suffer a strategic defeat in the Middle East."

He continued, "Iran can launch attacks anywhere in the future," and predicted, "Asymmetric attacks targeting U.S. allies could be carried out on the Strait of Hormuz shipping routes, pipelines in Middle Eastern countries, and even in Afghanistan, Europe, or Africa and Latin America." Former Advisor Rice added, "It will be difficult for the Trump administration to respond to all these multifaceted and unpredictable attacks."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.