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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Democratic presidential candidates condemn killing of Iran general | Democratic presidential candidates condemn killing of Iran general |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Biden accused Trump of having ‘tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox’ as Sanders said move ‘brings us closer to another war’ | Biden accused Trump of having ‘tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox’ as Sanders said move ‘brings us closer to another war’ |
| Democratic presidential candidates have condemned the targeted killing of Iran’s top general in a US airstrike in Iraq, with frontrunner Joe Biden accusing Donald Trump of having “tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox”. | Democratic presidential candidates have condemned the targeted killing of Iran’s top general in a US airstrike in Iraq, with frontrunner Joe Biden accusing Donald Trump of having “tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox”. |
| The former vice-president joined other Democratic White House hopefuls in criticizing the president’s order, saying it could leave the US “on the brink of a major conflict across the Middle East,” while Republicans in Congress largely backed the move. | |
| The Pentagon said the US military killed Gen Qassem Suleimani, 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 Israeli and American interests. The defense department said Suleimani “was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region”. | The Pentagon said the US military killed Gen Qassem Suleimani, 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 Israeli and American interests. The defense department said Suleimani “was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region”. |
| Most Democratic lawmakers criticized Trump’s authorization of the Suleimani strike on the basis that the president did not seek congressional approval and acted without serious consideration of the potential consequences. | |
| The Vermont Senator 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.” | The Vermont Senator 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 Suleimani, with the Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren calling him “a murderer, responsible for the deaths of thousands, including hundreds of Americans”. | Democrats acknowledged the threat posed by Suleimani, with the Massachusetts senator 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”. | However, she added, Trump’s “reckless move escalates the situation with Iran and increases the likelihood of more deaths and new Middle East conflict”. |
| 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.” | 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, which came just days into a tense American election year, also drew criticism from Democrats who aren’t running for president. The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, the most powerful Democrat in Congress, 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”. | |
| Some Democrats, including congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, began accusing Trump of choosing to attack Suleimani because he believed it would help his chances in this year’s presidential election. | |
| “The Occupant [of the White House] was JUST impeached for abuse of power for political gain & now he is leading us to the brink of war because he believes it will help his re-election,” Pressley wrote on Twitter. “We are sick of endless wars. Congress has the sole authority to declare war and we must deescalate. #NoWarWithIran” | |
| But Republicans on Capitol Hill stood behind Trump, as it appeared that some senior Republicans had been briefed ahead of the strike, while senior Democrats were left in the dark. | But Republicans on Capitol Hill stood behind Trump, as it appeared that some senior Republicans had been briefed ahead of the strike, while senior Democrats were left in the dark. |
| Speaking to Fox News, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a key Trump ally who was seen at Mar-a-Lago earlier in the week, said he “was briefed about the potential operation when I was down in Florida”. | Speaking to Fox News, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a key Trump ally who was seen at Mar-a-Lago earlier in the week, said he “was briefed about the potential operation when I was down in Florida”. |
| “This was a pre-emptive defensive strike that planned to take out the organizer of attacks yet to come. The intelligence was very strong that Soleimani was orchestrating chaos in Iraq at our expense and throughout the region.” | “This was a pre-emptive defensive strike that planned to take out the organizer of attacks yet to come. The intelligence was very strong that Soleimani was orchestrating chaos in Iraq at our expense and throughout the region.” |
| “When it comes to the death of General Soleimani, there is no one to blame but himself,” Graham said on Twitter. “He effectively signed his own death warrant by planning massive attacks against US personnel in Iraq and throughout the Middle East.” | “When it comes to the death of General Soleimani, there is no one to blame but himself,” Graham said on Twitter. “He effectively signed his own death warrant by planning massive attacks against US personnel in Iraq and throughout the Middle East.” |
| He continued: “As to what happens next: It should be clear to Iran that President Trump will not sit idly by if our people and interests are threatened.” | He continued: “As to what happens next: It should be clear to Iran that President Trump will not sit idly by if our people and interests are threatened.” |
| Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe, Republican 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.” | Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe, Republican 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.” |