Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss Implications of U.S. Strike on Iran Commander
New Brunswick, N.J. (Jan. 3, 2019) – Rutgers experts are available to comment on the implications of the Friday morning strike that killed Iran’s top security and intelligence commander, Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani.
John J. Farmer, Jr., director of Rutgers’ Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience, said:
"The U.S. has long been apprehensive about the potentially global reach of terror attacks sponsored by Iran, allegedly at Soleimani’s direction of. Hezbollah is considered one of the best trained, organized and formidable terrorist organizations in the world; its potential reach is worldwide, extending even to American soil. It is imperative, therefore, that the U.S. government prepare at every level, from foreign embassies to the cyber realm to houses of worship and other soft targets, for an aggressive Iranian response. In the meantime, New Jersey's Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness is an excellent source of reliable updates and situational awareness."
Ava Majlesi, acting director of Rutgers’ Center for Critical Intelligence Studies, said:
"We have watched tensions escalate between the U.S. and Iran since the dismantling of the Obama-era nuclear deal and especially over the last few months, culminating in Friday’s drone strike. In recent months, President Trump exercised a level of restraint in the face of Iranian provocation. Iran’s alleged involvement in the strikes on Saudi-owned oil installations and the shooting of a U.S. drone claimed to be in Iranian airspace were not met with significant U.S. retaliation. But if it is true that U.S. intelligence identified evidence of an imminent attack on American lives at Soleimani’s command, the Trump administration is likely to use this as legal justification for an otherwise unjustifiable use of force. This unprecedented decision is likely to have long-term repercussions for U.S.-Iranian relations, and for the Middle East more generally."
John Farmer and Ava Majelsi are available for interviews on Monday, January 6th, 2020.
They are available by contacting Gabriella Morrone at [email protected] or 848-932-8809.
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Broadcast interviews: Rutgers University–New Brunswick has broadcast-quality TV and radio studios available for remote live or taped interviews with Rutgers experts. For more information, contact Neal Buccino [email protected]
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