memeorandum: Sanders starts 2020 in strong position in Iowa and New Hampshire

12:25 PM ET, January 5, 2020

Top Items:

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: Shadowproof, Slate, The Hill, CNBC, Just Security, middleeastmonitor.com, Alternet.org, Daily Kos and Raw Story

Associated Press:

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 Week

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, Axios, YouTube and Slate

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.

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: Al Jazeera, Washington Monthly, RT Arabic, The Independent, Radio Free Europe and Reason

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, One America News Network and Raw Story

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: Foreign Policy, Axios, UPI, NBC News, The Hill, New York Times, Associated Press, KTLA and WGN-TV, more at Mediagazer »

The National:

Iraqi parliament votes to end US troop presence — Iraq's parliament held an extraordinary session on Sunday with Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi in attendance — Iraq's parliament voted on Sunday in favour of the withdrawal of thousands of US troops from military bases in the country following …

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

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 …

Aya Batrawy / Associated Press:

Trump's threats draw Iran's cultural sites into tensions — DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's ancient and rich cultural landscape has become a potential U.S. military target as Washington and Tehran lob threats and take high-stakes steps toward a possible open conflict.

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

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

Discussion: Townhall

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

Discussion: CNN, Washington Post, Fox News, Bloomberg, middleeastmonitor.com, Washington Free Beacon, The Hill and Mediaite

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

Discussion: Washington Times

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

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

Discussion: The Hill, New York Post, Associated Press and Mediaite

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

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

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

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Evan Semones / Politico:
Trump vows to target ‘52’ sites if Iran retaliates for Soleimani death

Discussion: Associated Press, Vox, Talking Points Memo, The Hill, Axios, BBC and Raw Story

Kayla Epstein / Stamford Advocate: Could the strike on an Iranian general trigger a draft? The Selective Service, explained.

John McLaughlin / OZY:
Iran Will Retaliate in Wake of Soleimani Killing

Discussion: HuffPost, Denver Post, Bloomberg and Greenwich Time

New York Times:
Iranians Close Ranks Behind Leaders After U.S. Kills Popular General

Discussion: Raw Story and Informed Comment

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: Axios and The Week

Elena Schneider / Politico: Iran situation casts Buttigieg's candidacy in a different light

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

ABC News:
Nearly 3 months after heart attack, Bernie Sanders in ‘good health’: Physicians

Discussion: NBC News

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.

Valerie Edwards / Daily Mail:

Rockets launched at US Embassy in Baghdad and military airbase housing American soldiers — Rockets were fired near the US Embassy in Baghdad and a military airbase housing American troops a day after General Qassem Soleimani was killed in an air strike. — On January 1, pro-Iran protesters stormed …

Thom Tillis:

Happy Birthday, Eric Trump! — Join Me In Wishing Eric Trump A Happy Birthday — We're so thankful for Eric Trump's work in fighting for America. — That's one reason our team is putting together a birthday card for this American Patriot. — Will you join me in celebrating his birthday by signing his birthday card?

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money

New York Times:

Weinstein Heads to Trial in a Case Seen as Larger Than One Man — Since the Harvey Weinstein story broke more than two years ago, everything about it has been outsized: the scope of the allegations of sexual harassment and assault, stretching back decades; the number of his accusers …

Discussion: Vanity Fair and VICE