President Trump’s Reckless Decision to Kill Iran’s Qassim Suleimani Should Be Condemned By Congress

WASHINGTON — Executive Director of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center, Liz Watson, released the following statement regarding the U.S. military's killing of Qassim Suleimani, the leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds force:

“The killing of Qassim Suleimani and other Iranian military leaders was a reckless, irresponsible and unnecessary provocation by President Trump’s Administration. It furthers instability and exacerbates the risk of direct armed conflict between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. This rash act will increase the likelihood of Iran ramping up its nuclear weapons program, and extending its proxy warfare through terrorist acts and hostilities that jeopardize the entire region. There is no excuse for this warmongering and escalation. 

By abandoning the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, taking punitive military actions, and adopting incendiary rhetoric, the Trump Administration has reversed years of progress toward peace and cooperation in the region and endangered millions of lives. This Administration is attempting to circumvent Congress’s constitutional role in shaping American foreign policy. Congress must take swift action to check the Trump Administration, and the U.S. government must immediately return to the pursuit of peace and diplomacy. 

The misguided 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force has been used as a disastrous blank check by the Executive Branch. Congressional oversight is desperately needed to prevent further escalation of conflict. Indeed, members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus led the effort to block aggressive military action against Iran as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. Amendments in the final NDAA would have cut off funds for any such offensive actions, but were stripped out by GOP lawmakers.

We call on Congress to exercise its constitutional authority to stop further aggressive actions that threaten the stability of the entire region.” 

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