U.S. intelligence agencies are studying how Iran would respond if President Donald Trump were to declare a unilateral victory in the two-month-old war that has killed thousands and become a political liability for the White House, two U.S. officials and a person familiar with the matter said.
The intelligence community is analyzing the question along with others at the request of senior administration officials. The goal is to understand the implications of Trump potentially pulling back from a conflict that some officials and advisers worry could contribute to deep Republican losses at the midterm elections later this year, according to the sources.
SOURCE: Reuters
While no decision has been made - and Trump could easily ramp back up military operations - a quick de-escalation could ease political pressure on the president, even as it could leave behind an emboldened Iran that could eventually rebuild its nuclear and missile programs and threaten U.S. allies in the region.
The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive intelligence matters.
It is not clear when the intelligence community would complete its work, but it has previously analyzed the likely reaction of Iran's leaders to a U.S. declaration of victory.
In the days following the initial bombing campaign in February, intelligence agencies assessed that if Trump were to declare victory and the U.S. drew down its forces in the region, Iran would likely view it as a win, one of the sources said.
SOURCE: Reuters
