The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad was built after the Sept. 11, 2011 terror attacks and is "strong and capable," but all the same, it would be a "very bad day" for anyone trying to breach it, Defense Secretary Mark Esper warned Thursday while calling on the international community to work with the United States to pressure Iran on its behavior.
"Clearly we always have the right of self-defense and we have more than sufficient capability on the ground at the embassy, and we are poised nearby to respond to anything," Esper told Fox News' "America's Newsroom."
The embassy is situated in a compound of more than 100 acres, Esper added, and it would be "very hard to breach."
"All that has happened so far is that these militia groups who were directed by Iran to go out and do this demonstration, if you will, this show, they got access to the outer compound that was supposed to be defended by Iraqi security forces," Esper explained. "As we know at this time, they have retreated. But we are prepared just the same for anything else that could happen."
Esper also called for the international community to come together and condemn Iran's behavior and help the United States with a maximum pressure campaign that will "tell Iran that it's time to sit down, behave like a normal country, and come up with a plan with regard to their various aspirations that addresses everybody's concerns. It will take the international community to do that."
Becoming "normal" would mean Iran "ending their nuclear program, ending their long-range ballistic missile program, the stopping of hostage-taking, and of course their malign behavior where they are inspiring terrorist groups, resourcing and directing them all the way from Africa across the Middle East and into Afghanistan."
Meanwhile, he described the current level of tension and threat in the Middle East as "obviously high."
"We have had Iran-sponsored militia groups attacking U.S. forces now for several months," Esper said. "It culminated in the death of Americans last week and the wounding of several soldiers. We responded with attacks, strikes on multiple sites of Kata'ib Hezbollah, an Iran-sponsored terrorist group."
President Donald Trump's forceful move was very "bold and decisive," said Esper. "It asserted our right of self-defense and the fact that we will act in order to defend our personnel in the region."
Esper said troop deployments have been ordered for the "safety and security" of Americans and that the United States is prepared for a strong response to threats. He would not specify what that response would involve, but said it is known that the U.S. military has the "vast capacity to do any number of things."
The United States, he added, respects Iran's sovereignty, but will still defend itself and its interests and those of Americans in Baghdad, particularly at a time when the Iranian government is clearly trying to strengthen its influence there.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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