(LEX 18) — Kentucky politicians have started weighing in on President Donald Trump's decision to order an airstrike in Iraq that killed a top Iranian general.
The U.S. airstrike killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, near Baghdad's airport.
Barr sent tweets Thursday night in support of the strike, calling it "a massive victory."
This decisive response to Iranian-supported aggression against our Embassy in Baghdad is a massive victory for our Armed Forces, our Intelligence Community and the United States of America.
— Rep. Andy Barr (@RepAndyBarr) January 3, 2020
U.S. Senator Rand Paul also commented on the Iran strike on Friday morning.
When Henry Clay lost his son in the Mexican American War in 1847, he spoke to a public gathering in Lexington, which included a young Congressman Abraham Lincoln in the crowd.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 3, 2020
Paul went on to say the following:
President Trump viscerally understands that the toppling of Saddam Hussein made Iran stronger... The question today is whether the assassination of Soleimani will expand the war to endanger the lives of every American soldier or diplomat in the Middle East... Our young men and women in the armed services deserve better."
Congressman John Yarmuth issued the following on the military strike, "“I am deeply concerned by President Trump’s rapid escalation of hostilities with Iran and the lack of any discernible concern for the consequences. Qasem Soleimani was an enemy of the United States, but the decision to assassinate him without the consultation, much less authorization of Congress, and without support from our allies shows this not to be part of a deliberate strategy but the whim of an impetuous commander-in-chief. Iran has made it clear that they will retaliate. The Trump administration must come before Congress to provide an explanation of what has happened thus far, what they believe might warrant further military action, and why they have brought us to the precipice of yet another deadly, open-ended war in the Middle East. Anything less would be a rejection of our Constitution and the foundation of our republic. I call on my Republican colleagues to stop looking the other way and join Democrats in fulfilling our constitutional obligation of ensuring our nation has a full understanding of President Trump’s apparent push toward war.”
U.S. Senate Candidate Amy McGrath also issued a statement.
"Yesterday's U.S. drone strike in Iraq on Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s paramilitary forces and arguably its second most powerful leader—behind only the Ayatollah—confirmed our worst fears about this administration's lack of planning and strategy for dealing with the serious and growing challenge of Iran," McGrath said.
"There is no question that Soleimani was an enemy of the United States and the lead orchestrator of the instability and proxy wars in the Middle East over the last few decades.
"However, assassinating such a senior figure on the soil of another country without the lawful authorization of Congress is tantamount to a declaration of war and an increasingly likely tipping point for a broader and massive regional war with potential repercussions that will be beyond our ability to control or contain."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a lengthy statement praising the operation. You can watch his remarks below:.
