Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said Thursday that President Donald Trump has “tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox” with the targeted killing of Iran’s top general in an airstrike at Baghdad’s international airport.
The former vice president joined other Democratic White House hopefuls in criticizing Trump’s order, saying it could leave the U.S. “on the brink of a major conflict across the Middle East.”
The Pentagon said the U.S. military killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, in Baghdad Friday at the direction of Trump. The attack is expected to draw severe Iranian retaliation against Israel and American interests. The Defense Department said Soleimani “was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.”
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders released a statement saying, “Trump’s dangerous escalation brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East that could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars.”
Democrats acknowledged the threat posed by Soleimani, with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren calling him “a murderer, responsible for the deaths of thousands, including hundreds of Americans.”
However, she added, Trump’s “reckless move escalates the situation with Iran and increases the likelihood of more deaths and new Middle East conflict.”
Soleimani was a murderer, responsible for the deaths of thousands, including hundreds of Americans. But this reckless move escalates the situation with Iran and increases the likelihood of more deaths and new Middle East conflict. Our priority must be to avoid another costly war.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 3, 2020
Entrepreneur Andrew Yang tweeted: “War with Iran is the last thing we need and is not the will of the American people. We should be acting to deescalate tensions and protect our people in the region.”
The attack also drew criticism from Democrats who aren’t running for president. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the administration conducted the airstrike without consultation of Congress or an authorization for use of military force against Iran. She said it “risks provoking further dangerous escalation of violence.”
But Republicans on Capitol Hill stood behind Trump. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said: “I appreciate President Trump’s bold action against Iranian aggression. To the Iranian government: if you want more, you will get more.”
So what if Trump wants war, knows this leads to war and needs the distraction?
Real question is, will those with congressional authority step in and stop him? I know I will. https://t.co/Fj9TMossEW
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 3, 2020
And Sen. James Inhofe, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: “America does not and should not seek war, but it will respond in kind to those who threaten our citizens, soldiers and friends — as the President has long promised. De-escalation is preferable and possible — but only if our adversaries choose it.”
Do you or don't you believe in non-Congressional intervention?
Flashback: https://t.co/UgQlAeudzN
— NYC Libertarian (@LibertariaNYC) January 3, 2020
(AP)
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13 Responses
Righto!
It is what I expect from the democ rats, helping our enemy, like Obama giving Iran the possibility of making a nuke. so also the dems are afraid to confront their enemy.
So the Democrats support the Iranians? Note that the Iranian general was killed in Iraq (reminder, Iraq is NOT part of Iran). Score one for Trump. His bark ( or should we say, his tweet) can be annoying, but his bitge (what he actually does is reasonably competent).
Democrats are cry babies.
Way? They didn’t think of it before Trump did.
They were kept in the dark because they love the media and it would have out in public a half hour after a meeting.
I personally think that you anti-semite democratic politiicains should resign, pack up your families, and move to either Gaza, Iran, or Iraq. You can live very well there looking over your shoulder. You may even be able to run for politics there.
These clowns continue to coddle brutal killers in the name of peace! Hey, their Billary said of our service members who were killed in Bengazi because we didn’t protect them, “it’s only 4 people!” That’s how the Dems view life!
And what about giving them pallets of cash? Obama’s administration launched drone strikes as well.
And if obama has done it he would have been a hero what else is new
And if obama has done it he would have been a hero what else is new and I say that the Democrats attitude is what is really dangerous because it gives the enemy a boldness to attack us know that America is not United
Where were these angry comments when Obummer killed Bin-Ladin?
Democrats are traitors to US.
It has become common practice that the leader of country who is about to take drastic actions will either confer or inform an incoming leader or a candidate that will be facing off in an upcoming election about the impending action. We have seen this done in America and elsewhere. However, it was not done here, and for good reason.
There is absolutely nothing that Trump can do that the Dems will not attack as terrible. That absolute is absolute. He lowered taxes. Destroyed unemployment. Kept campaign promises. Corrected a whole bunch of things, and accomplished more in his first 6 months in office than Obama y”sh did in 8 years. But not a single thing is accepted by the Dems. They are obsessed with their hate, and all logic and reality is blinded.
They were not brought into the picture because they would have done their best to sabotage everything. They do not know the full picture, and are doing nothing beyond propagandizing the situation. I recognize mistakes by Trump. But the current situation is that the Dems are 100% wrong in their approach to politics and government, and I hope none of these goons stays in office.
So, it would appear that Democrats oppose Trump and Republicans support him. That’s news?
I don’t know whether the killing of an Iranian general is good for the US, or good for the Jews, or good for Israel, or good for nobody. I know for certain that Trump does not read his daily intelligence briefings, is ignorant and impulsive, and is the lyingest US president of the 20th and 21st centuries. So we cannot look to the president, or his advisers, for a truthful explanation of the wisdom (or foolhardiness) of the killing of an Iranian general.
when you sit in the Oval Office you sometime need to make difficult decisions. if you cannot do it then don’t run for the office. the president needs to protect all Americans especially the military working to protect us.
huju, why i am not surprised that you ” don’t know whether the killing of an Iranian general is good for the US, or good for the Jews, or good for Israel, or good for nobody” ?