Qasem Soleimani, Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General and commander of the Quds Force, wearing his trademark ring during an interview with members of the Iranian leader's bureau in Tehran. (file pic/ AFP PHOTO / HO / KHAMENEI.IR)
Washington: The US Congress was divided over the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani at Baghdad airport on Friday, with some Democratic members concerned that it could lead to a regional war.
The Pentagon said that Soleimani was killed by a U.S. drone strike on the directions of US President Donald Trump. "General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. General Soleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more," the U.S. Defense Department said in a statement.
But there was not total agreement on Capitol Hill with divisions along party lines. Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi complained that Trump acted without consulting Congress first. "American leaders highest priority is to protect American lives and interests. But we cannot put the lives of American service members, diplomats and others further at risk by engaging in provocative and disproportionate actions," Pelosi said in a statement. "Tonights airstrike risks provoking further dangerous escalation of violence."
Democratic Representative Seth Moulton said Soleimani was an "enemy of the United States with American blood on his hands, but the question weve grappled with for years in Iraq was how to kill more terrorists than we create," Moulton said in a statement. "Thats an open question tonight as we await Irans reaction to Donald Trumps escalation, which could ignite a regional war, with still no strategy from the administration."
Democratic Senator Tom Udall said Trump had brought the U.S. "to the brink of an illegal war with Iran."
"Such a reckless escalation of hostilities is likely a violation of Congresss war-making authority as well as our basing agreement with Iraq putting U.S. forces and citizens in danger," Udall said in a statement, "and very possibly sinking us into another disastrous war in the Middle East that the American people are not asking for and do not support."
But Republicans stood behind Trump. "His death presents an opportunity for Iraq to determine its own future free from Iranian control," said Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. "As I have previously warned the Iranian government, they should not mistake our reasonable restraint in response to their previous attacks as weakness."
Republican Senator Marco Rubio said Trump had "exercised admirable restraint while setting clear red lines & the consequences for crossing them."
An attempt by Democrats to prevent Trump from specifically going to war against Iran without Congress' permission was last month removed before the vote on the National Defense Authorization Act, which sets military spending every years.
