The world in brief

As Washington wrestles with how to respond to the suspected Iranian missile and drone attack on Saudi Arabia's oil industry, the New York Times has reconstructed the events of a previous decision point--14 hours in June 20 when Donald Trump ordered an attack on Iran and then cancelled it with 10 minutes to spare. That decision, described by the paper as 'impulsive, instinctive and removed from any process', is seen by some in Washington as a failure of nerve that has emboldened Iran, leading to the attack on Saudi Arabia's Abqaiq crude processing plant and the Khurais oil field on September 14. Instead, the US announced on September 20 that it was sending weapons and hundreds of troops to Saudi Arabia to reinforce defenses.