January 1, Iran Attacks US Bases in Iraq

This Day in History | 1835

For the first and only time, the US national debt reaches $0. 

Good Morning Middle Americans, 

Iran says it has delivered its revenge in the form of missile attacks on US bases in Iraq. The missiles, according to Iranian State TV, those missiles came from Iran. The revenge coming on the same day that Gen. Qasem Soleimani was buried after he was killed by a US drone strike. Soleimani’s death comes after a series of provocative escalations by Iran. What happens next? Your guess is as good as mine. Iran says if president Trump does respond, they will attack Israel and Dubai. 

Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is still playing games with the articles of impeachment. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he has the votes to proceed anyway. 

Do you remember the red MAGA hat wearing Catholic School kid Nick Sandmann? Looks like he just got a big check from CNN as part of a settlement over the way they portrayed him on TV. 

Read all about it!

– Fraser Dixon

Iran Strikes Back at US with Missile Attack at Bases in Iraq

(AP) — Iran struck back at the United States early Wednesday for killing a top Revolutionary Guards commander, firing a series of ballistic missiles at two military bases in Iraq housing American troops in a major escalation between the two longtime foes.

It was Iran’s most direct assault on America since the 1979 seizing of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, and Iranian state TV said it was in revenge for the U.S. killing of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, whose death last week in an American drone strike near Baghdad prompted angry calls to avenge his slaying. A U.S. and Iraqi officials said there were no immediate reports of casualties, though buildings were still being searched.

The strikes, which came as Iran buried Soleimani, raised fears that the two longtime foes were closer to war. But there were some indications that there would not be further retaliation on either side, at least in the short term.

Read more here

Pelosi’s Next Move on Impeachment Unclear as Senate Waits

(The Hill) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is leaning into her plans to withhold sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate, amplifying her position Tuesday that she won’t deliver them until she knows what a trial in the upper chamber will look like.

Pelosi, writing in a letter to her Democratic colleagues, called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to promptly unveil the resolution that will lay out the guidelines for the trial centered on President Trump’s contacts with Ukraine and whether they warrant his removal from office.

The Democratic leader dug in on her plans to withhold the articles after McConnell announced at a press conference earlier in the day that Republicans “have the votes” to pass a resolution to start the impeachment trial without requiring additional witnesses and key documents.

Read more here

CNN Settles Lawsuit with Nick Sandmann

(Fox19 Cincinnati) – CNN agreed Tuesday to settle a lawsuit with Covington Catholic student Nick Sandmann.

The amount of the settlement was not made public during a hearing at the federal courthouse in Covington, Kentucky.

Sandmann’s lawsuit sought $800 million from CNN, the Washington Post and NBC Universal.

Trial dates are still not set for Sandmann’s lawsuit against NBC Universal and the Washington Post.

The Washington Post suit sought $250 million. A federal judge let a portion of the suit go forward after The Post filed a motion to dismiss it.

Learn more about the on-going law suits click here