Such a strike could have caused an armed conflict and could have prompted Iraq to order the United States to leave the country, said a senior American official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal policy deliberations.

因为这样的袭击可能会引发武装冲突，甚至可能导致伊拉克命令美军撤出该国，一名不愿透露姓名的高级官员在评价内部的政策协商时说。