The slap was not by the Iranians, but by the Americans against the Iranians. Or more of a kick to the balls really
Iran didn't slap back, it just went into a rampage and broke some furniture.
It was a weak response and the US got away with a flagrant act of war and the assasination of an Iranian national hero. Messages, symbolic strikes, etc... don't mean much in this context. America didn't pay any price for its actions other than the reputational one, but that one has been recompensated by showing the Middle East who calls the shots. The war-torn Middle East respects strength and power and these things matter more than international law, moral behaviour or whatever.
Suleimani is still dead and he was a powerful & respected figure in the region. While the Iranian leadership has been shown as a bunch of blusterers, raising red banners and promising dead Americans all over the Middle East.
Iran conducted it's response as soon as possible, to lay the matter to rest, because it didn't want the heat, and it seems it didn't want to escelate in Iraq.
Well I may be proved wrong, I'm just judging by how things look and how they look today.
TheArmenian wrote:PS2. Country 404 is bleeding too (lost an 737). No one knows if it is an accident (common with 737s lately) or it has anything to do with the Donald-Mullah fight.
Stay tuned
Most people on that flight seemed to be Iranians, including those holding citizenship of other countries. It's quite likely that the plane crash is related, and there were early reports of Iran downing an American aircraft; so it looks like they just set their air defence network on full readiness and shot themselves in the foot here too.
Vann7 wrote: Arrow wrote:
It was all set. Iran informed the US about the attack and the US did not use air defense. How can you assess air defense that didn't even fire? The USA knew that Iran would shoot so that there would be no fatalities
so are you saying the the so called most powerful military in the world..
abandoned its airbase ,when its advesaries told was going to bomb it.. and not even did anything
to defend it or strike back? that make sense..
Where are the tough american military now? they were easy to target a general ,that was about to board a civilian plane.. and was not at war with americans.. it was a coward attack.. not a fair one.. because iran
did not expected US to aim their guns at their generals ,after he freely operated in iraq for years.. and even iranian planes could freely travel over iraq airspace ,without any hostility from americans.. and now when iran declare war on them..... they back down of their rethoric and invite iran to re negotiate the iranian deal ? and even compliments them saying they have a common enemy isis..
this is the first time american military show weakness.. after being attacked their bases... for just one portable rocket attack in afganistan ,they targeted pro iranian militia base in iraq..killing 100 hezbolah fighters.. with drones.. and now iran directly ,openly fire a couple of dozen of long range ballistic missiles at american base.. hitting american property and now they just turn around and say.. is nothing is all fine..
me thinks.. that regardless if the message was symbolic or not of iran... they do caused major fear on
us generals , by the level of precision of their attacks... and not responding this attack , only show the pentagon is scared of any more escalation versus iran... and that is was the use of force.. and not politeness ,what made american military show for first time to respect iran.. that is to fear an escalation in a confrontation.. now iran will get more "Sanctions" as if that was possible.. since iranians have all the sanctions in the world already..
No it's quite simple
The US wanted to deescalate and they were concerned about the Iranian response.
They understood that Iran needed a face-saving measure and were willing to play along with one, but what scared them was the possibility that Iran would retaliate for real.
They're very happy that the response was was it was and that they got away with a massive provocation with no consenquences. A couple of destroyed hangers in return for Iran calming down is a bargain for them.