As Iran reels, Trump aides clash over escalating military showdown

WASHINGTON (NYTIMES) - Inside the White House in recent days, a tense debate erupted among President Donald Trump and his top advisers on whether the United States should escalate military action against Iran.

One group, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Mr Robert O'Brien, the national security adviser, urged a tough response to rocket attacks that had killed two US troops at a base north of Baghdad, arguing that tough action while Iran's leaders were battling the coronavirus ravaging the country could finally push them into direct negotiations.

But Defence Secretary Mark Esper and General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pushed back.

The Pentagon and intelligence agencies did not have clear evidence that the attacks had been ordered by Iran, they argued, and warned that a large-scale response could draw the United States into a wider war with Iran.

The military's position prevailed. Mr Trump authorised airstrikes against five militia weapons depots inside Iraq, carried out at night to limit the possible human toll.

The meeting is a glimpse of the crosswinds buffeting the Trump administration's policy toward Iran less than three months after Mr Trump ordered the killing of the top Iranian commander, General Qassem Soleimani.

US officials say the President has little appetite for a dangerous escalation with Iran, and leaders in Iran are now consumed trying to tamp down the coronavirus pandemic that has devastated the country.

But the officials believe the coming months will be rocky, with Iran using paramilitary forces to try to hit American targets in Iraq, and the United States retaliating - even if US officials are divided over the best response.

One primary goal of the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" campaign of economic sanctions is to so cripple Iran's economy that the government will agree to negotiate a new agreement over its nuclear programme.

That has not happened, and many US intelligence officials and regional experts do not believe Iran is close to making such a move - especially with the chance that Mr Trump could be out of office early next year.

In the meantime, administration officials are reviewing an array of additional targets, including more militia weapons depots and logistics storehouses, as well as strikes against militia leaders and possibly Iranian ships.

Covert operations and cyber attacks are also under consideration, officials said.