WASHINGTON — In the days after the U.S. and Israellaunched an air war against Iran, the State Department issued new advisories warning Americans to reconsider traveling to several countries in the region. By then, it was too late.
Thousands of Americans are nowstranded in the Middle Eastas Iran retaliates with drone attacks on U.S. facilities, prompting Democratic lawmakers and current and former State Department officials to sharply criticize the Trump administration for failing to plan for what they say was a predictable scenario.
"You would have had far fewer people in harm's way," a senior State Department official said on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
U.S. citizens marooned in countries like Jordan, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have received conflicting advice from the State Department. They were told to evacuate as soon as possible in some places even though airports were closed. The State Department also advised people to contact U.S. embassies for assistance, only for them to be met with busy signals or byharried staffers unable to offer help.
“These issues were predictable,” dozens of Democrats in Congress wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “The lack of clear preparation, planning, and communication to Americans abroad is unacceptable and a violation of the State Department’s basic mission to provide consular assistance and the protection of U.S. citizens overseas."
U.S. officials — and President Donald Trump himself — have struggled to explain why the government was not better prepared for the consequences of Iranian retaliation and what messages to convey to Americans in the area.
"It happened all very quickly," Trump told reporters Tuesday.
Over the past few days, the U.S. Embassy in Jordan was evacuated because of the threat of an attack, the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait was struck by a drone, the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia caught fire after it was hit by two Iranian drones, and a drone attack set the parking lot ablaze outside the U.S. Consulate in Dubai in the UAE.
At least six American service membershave been killedsince the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran. But there have been no reports of American civilian casualties.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back Wednesday against criticism that the administration should have done more to warn Americans and help those stuck overseas.
Source: Drudge Report
