Changes

At the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), Mulroy stated that Iran posed five distinct threats. The first was the potential for obtaining a nuclear weapon. The second was maritime attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab, in which a substantial portion of energy trade and commercial goods pass. The third was Iran's support to proxies and terrorist organizations, including [[Hezbollah]] in Lebanon and Syria, the [[Houthis]] in Yemen, some of the Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq, and the safe-harboring of senior [[al-Qaeda]] leaders in Iran. The fourth was sending their ballistic missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen for use against Saudi Arabia and in Syria with Hezbollah to use against Israel. Cyber was the fifth threat and a growing concern. After this statement, all of these threats materialized.<ref name="c-span.org" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurasiareview.com/02052019-middle-east-security-still-critical-to-us-says-pentagon-official/ |title=Middle East Security Still Critical To US, Says Pentagon Official |last=News |first=DoD |date=May 2, 2019 |website=eurasiareview.com |access-date=May 5, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.defense.gov/explore/story/Article/1829790/middle-east-strategic-alliance-effort-aimed-at-stabilization/ |title=Middle East Strategic Alliance Effort Aimed at Stabilization |website=U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE}}</ref>

At the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), Mulroy stated that Iran posed five distinct threats. The first was the potential for obtaining a nuclear weapon. The second was maritime attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab, in which a substantial portion of energy trade and commercial goods pass. The third was Iran's support to proxies and terrorist organizations, including [[Hezbollah]] in Lebanon and Syria, the [[Houthis]] in Yemen, some of the Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq, and the safe-harboring of senior [[al-Qaeda]] leaders in Iran. The fourth was sending their ballistic missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen for use against Saudi Arabia and in Syria with Hezbollah to use against Israel. Cyber was the fifth threat and a growing concern. After this statement, all of these threats materialized.<ref name="c-span.org" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurasiareview.com/02052019-middle-east-security-still-critical-to-us-says-pentagon-official/ |title=Middle East Security Still Critical To US, Says Pentagon Official |last=News |first=DoD |date=May 2, 2019 |website=eurasiareview.com |access-date=May 5, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.defense.gov/explore/story/Article/1829790/middle-east-strategic-alliance-effort-aimed-at-stabilization/ |title=Middle East Strategic Alliance Effort Aimed at Stabilization |website=U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE}}</ref>

Many believe the U.S. State Department's "maximum pressure campaign" is the main cause for the increase in Iran's malign activities and the desire to acquire a nuclear weapon. As a result of the attacks by the IRGC on international shipping in the Gulf of Oman in the summer of 2019, the U.S. started the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC). Mulroy stated that the purpose of the IMSC was to increase overall surveillance and security in the "key waterways in the Middle East." These waterways include the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Oman. There have been no Iranian attacks on international shipping since the IMSC began.

Many believe the U.S. State Department's "maximum pressure campaign" is the main cause for the increase in Iran's malign activities and the desire to acquire a nuclear weapon.<ref>{{cite web|last=Miller|first=Nicholas|date=August 15, 2019|title=Maximum Pressure Is Failing: Fact-Checking Pompeo on Iran|url=https://warontherocks.com/2019/08/maximum-pressure-is-failing-fact-checking-pompeo-on-iran/|website=War on the Rocks}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/454980-maximum-pressure-on-iran-has-failed-heres-what-should-come-next |title='Maximum Pressure' on Iran has failed — here's what should come next |last=Allott |first=Daniel |date=July 27, 2019 |website=TheHill}}</ref> As a result of the attacks by the IRGC on international shipping in the [[June 2019 Gulf of Oman incident|Gulf of Oman]] in the summer of 2019,<ref>{{cite web|date=June 18, 2019|title=US releases new images from suspected attacks on Gulf tankers|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/06/pentagon-releases-images-gulf-oman-attack-190618055528966.html|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Malekian|first=Somayeh|date=July 18, 2019|title=Iranian Revolutionary Guard seizes foreign oil tanker in Persian Gulf: State media|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/iranian-republican-guard-seizes-foreign-oil-tanker-persian/story?id=64411931|website=ABC News}}</ref> the U.S. started the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC). Mulroy stated that the purpose of the IMSC was to increase overall surveillance and security in the "key waterways in the Middle East."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2019/08/putin-gulf-security-plan-trump-iran-uae-saudi-arabia.html |title=Putin's Gulf security plan depends on Trump |date=August 16, 2019 |website=Al-Monitor}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Colchester|first1=Max|last2=Coles|first2=Isabel|title=Britain, U.S. to Protect Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz From Iranian Threats|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/britain-u-s-to-protect-shipping-through-strait-of-hormuz-from-iranian-threats-11565026612|website=Wall Street Journal}}</ref> These waterways include the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Oman. There have been no Iranian attacks on international shipping since the IMSC began.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mylroie|first=Laurie|date=August 31, 2019|title=Pentagon: US will continue to support Peshmerga|url=https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/f702513a-bb39-48af-84d3-ff97c2bea2a9|website=Kurdistan24}}</ref>

Mulroy initiated and directed the formation of the Iran Strategy Board (ISB) to create a forum to coordinate policy across the DoD and advocated for a "calibrated approach to Iran." One of his stated accomplishments as DASD was preventing a war with Iran, something others in the administration pushed for as they believed a conflict between the two countries was necessary to force a regime change in Iran.

Mulroy initiated and directed the formation of the Iran Strategy Board (ISB) to create a forum to coordinate policy across the DoD and advocated for a "calibrated approach to Iran."<ref name="loboinstitute.org" /> One of his stated accomplishments as DASD was preventing a war with Iran,<ref name="defenseone_2019-11" /> something others in the administration pushed for as they believed a conflict between the two countries was necessary to force a regime change in Iran.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middle-east/2019-10-15/americas-great-satan |title=America's Great Satan |last1=Benjamin |first1=Daniel |last2=Simon |first2=Steven |date=November 23, 2019 |newspaper=Foreign Affairs}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/17/john-bolton-iran-north-korea-venezuela-trump |title=John Bolton: the man driving the US towards war … any war |last=Borger |first=Julian |date=May 17, 2019 |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref>

==== Killing of Soleimani ====

==== Killing of Soleimani ====