memeorandum: In confrontation with Iran, Trump wrestles with the shadow of Obama, ‘the metric he has to beat’ (David Nakamura/Washington Post)

1:35 PM ET, January 5, 2020

Top Items:

The Latest: Iraq parliament votes to expel US military — BEIRUT (AP) — The latest on U.S.-Iran tensions (all times local): — Iraq's parliament has voted to expel the U.S. military from the country. — Lawmakers voted Sunday in favor of a resolution that calls for ending foreign military presence in the country.

Discussion: The Hill and The Week

New York Times:

As Tensions With Iran Escalated, Trump Opted for Most Extreme Measure — While senior officials argue the drone strike was warranted to prevent future attacks, some in the administration remain skeptical about the rationale for the attack. — WASHINGTON — In the chaotic days leading …

Discussion: Mother Jones, Vanity Fair, Shadowproof, The Hill, Raw Story, Slate, CNBC, middleeastmonitor.com, Just Security, Alternet.org, OZY, Daily Kos, HuffPost, Mediaite, New York Post, Yahoo Finance and Greenwich Time

Erin Cunningham / Washington Post:

Iraq's prime minister says ‘urgent measures’ should be taken to remove foreign forces — ISTANBUL — Iraq's prime minister Sunday urged parliament to take “urgent measures” to force the withdrawal of foreign forces following a U.S. drone strike that killed a senior Iranian commander and key Iraqi militia leader in Baghdad last week.

Discussion: Politico, Breitbart, IRNA English, YouTube and Axios

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:

HUGE — BREAKING NEWS: Iranian Regime Offers $80 MILLION for President Trump's Head! —VIDEO — On Friday morning the United States killed General Qassim Soleimani, a top commander of Iran's al-Quds Force, in an airstrike at Baghdad's International Airport.

Discussion: Jihad Watch

New York Times:

U.S.-Led Coalition Halts ISIS Fight as It Steels for Iranian Attacks — American forces in Iraq and Syria will now focus on protecting themselves. — WASHINGTON — The American-led coalition in Iraq and Syria has halted its yearslong mission of attacking the Islamic State and training local forces …

New York Times:

Iraqi Lawmakers Urge End to U.S. Troop Presence as Iran Mourns a Slain General — The vote in Parliament, after the U.S. killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani of Iran in Baghdad, is not final until Iraq's prime minister signs the bill. — BAGHDAD — Lawmakers in Iraq voted on Sunday …

Discussion: Vox, Al Jazeera, Outside the Beltway, Washington Monthly, RT Arabic, The Independent and Radio Free Europe

David Nakamura / Washington Post:

In confrontation with Iran, Trump wrestles with the shadow of Obama, ‘the metric he has to beat’ — As President Trump's allies rushed to defend his decision to authorize a drone strike that killed Iran's top military commander, many have focused less on Qasem Soleimani than another once-prominent actor …

Discussion: Breitbart, Associated Press and One America News Network

CNN:

Exclusive: Supreme Leader's military adviser says Iran's response will be ‘against military sites’ — Tehran, Iran (CNN)The military adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader said Sunday that his country's response to the killing by the United States of one its most influential commanders will certainly …

Discussion: Vox, Axios, Alternet.org, UPI, NBC News, KTLA, The Hill, New York Times and Associated Press

New York Times:

Iran and U.S. Updates: Iran Ends Its Commitment to 2015 Nuclear Deal — Many in Iraq considered America's killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, a top Iranian commander, in Baghdad as an assault on its sovereignty. — RIGHT NOW Tehran said in a statement that it would no longer abide by the limits of the 2015 agreement.

Lara Seligman / Foreign Policy:

Pentagon Chief Kept Tight Circle on Suleimani Strike — Sources say senior officials who would normally be consulted were left out of the loop. — In the hours leading up to the U.S. drone strike that killed Qassem Suleimani, Defense Secretary Mark Esper kept President Donald Trump's decision …

Greg Miller / Washington Post:

Trump faces Iran crisis with fewer experienced advisers and strained relations with traditional allies — Presidents on the brink of war tend to rely on an array of Oval Office assets: teams of experienced advisers, trusted sources of intelligence, strong ties with U.S. allies and credibility with the broad American public.

Zachary Cohen / CNN:

Skepticism mounts over evidence of ‘imminent’ threat that Trump says justified Soleimani killing — Washington (CNN)Top US national security officials continue to defend the Trump administration's claim that it killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in response to an imminent threat …

Discussion: Al Jazeera, Breitbart, Talking Points Memo and HuffPost

The National: Iraqi parliament votes to end US troop presence

Liz Sly / Washington Post:
Iran has vowed revenge against the U.S. But it seems to be in no hurry.

Discussion: Althouse and Stars & Stripes

Aya Batrawy / Associated Press:
Trump's threats draw Iran's cultural sites into tensions

Discussion: Axios

Associated Press:
Iran takes general's body on unprecedented public mournings tour

Discussion: Washington Times

Isabel Coles / Wall Street Journal: Iraqi Parliament Votes in Favor of Expelling U.S. Troops

Rebecca Klar / The Hill:
Schiff: I haven't seen intelligence that ‘taking out’ Soleimani would ‘stop the plotting’

Discussion: NBC News and Breitbart

ABC News:
World is safer because of Iranian commander's death: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

Discussion: CNN, Washington Post, Fox News, Bloomberg, Mediaite, The Week, Common Dreams and The Hill

Justin Baragona / The Daily Beast: Mike Pompeo Insists U.S. Safer but There May Be a ‘Little Noise’ in Interim

Spencer Kimball / CNBC:
Iraqi parliament passes resolution calling for US troops to be expelled

Discussion: Townhall

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Why lying about an ‘imminent’ attack would matter

Discussion: Raw Story, Reason, Slate and HuffPost

Sun-Sentinel: As tensions with Iran escalated, Trump opted for an extreme measure. Pentagon officials were stunned.

Associated Press:
Trump says 52 targets already lined up if Iran retaliates

Discussion: ABC News, ABC13, One America News Network, The Hill, Breitbart, Raw Story, Washington Post and Axios

Speaker Nancy Pelosi:
Pelosi Statement on White House's War Powers Act Notification of Hostilities Against Iran

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Slate, Letters from an American, Politico, The Gateway Pundit, New York Times and Axios

Ben Kamisar / NBC News:
Pompeo says administration would have been ‘culpably negligent’ not to launch Soleimani attack

Discussion: New York Post, Associated Press and Mediaite

David D. Kirkpatrick / New York Times:
Conflict With Iran Threatens Fight Against ISIS

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

CBS News:

Sanders starts 2020 in strong position in Iowa and New Hampshire — CBS News Battleground Tracker — The New Year opens with Bernie Sanders in his best standing yet against the field in Iowa and New Hampshire. He's in a first-place tie with Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg in Iowa.

Discussion: The Hill, No More Mister Nice Blog, Axios and The Week

Elena Schneider / Politico:

Iran situation casts Buttigieg's candidacy in a different light — WOLFEBORO, N.H. — Pete Buttigieg is confronting the commander-in-chief test. — Buttigieg's personal story as a gay veteran and Midwestern mayor, his performances in debates and interviews, and his policy platform …

Harry Enten / CNN: It's not just the polls that show Biden and Sanders leading the primary

Trent Spiner / Politico: Flush with cash, Yang wrestles with where to spend it

Michael Scherer / Washington Post:
Crowded Democratic presidential field sprints toward ‘jump ball’ in crucial Iowa caucuses

Discussion: The Atlantic, Axios, Fox News, Blue Delaware and Breitbart

Allan Smith / NBC News:

Dems say no rush to turn over articles of impeachment, but wait won't be ‘indefinite’ — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told ABC that “the focus will be on four Republican senators” once the articles are transmitted. — As Congress prepares to return amid a weeks-long impasse …

Discussion: Politico and Fox News

Matthew Daly / Associated Press: Small cracks have appeared in GOP unity on impeachment trial

Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:

Enter here to explore the alternate universe of right-wing media — Howard Polskin woke up the day after President Trump's election with a powerful feeling that he had missed something important. — “I thought I was a smart guy, but I felt very dumb on Nov. 9, 2016,” he told me.