House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling on the Trump administration to immediately brief lawmakers on the U.S. airstrike that killed a top Iranian commander in Iraq and what the White House plans to do next.
The strike in Iraq was directed by President Donald Trump and killed Qassim Suleimani, the commander of Iran’s secretive Quds Force, the Defense Department announced Thursday night.
The move, which is likely to provoke retaliation from Iran, comes amid heightened tensions between the Trump administration and Tehran over rocket attacks aimed at coalition forces in Iraq. U.S. officials have said those attacks were likely carried out by Iranian-backed militias with links to the Quds Force.
“Tonight’s airstrike risks provoking further dangerous escalation of violence. America — and the world — cannot afford to have tensions escalate to the point of no return,” Pelosi said in a statement late Thursday.
The strike was carried out without an “authorization for use of military force” against Iran and without the consultation of Congress, the speaker said.
“The full Congress must be immediately briefed on this serious situation and on the next steps under consideration by the Administration, including the significant escalation of the deployment of additional troops to the region,” Pelosi said.
The Defense Department characterized the strike as “decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad” and said in a statement that Suleimani “was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.”
Several Republicans, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, praised Trump’s move.
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Graham said in a statement that Suleimani “had American blood on his hands” and welcomed what he called Trump’s “bold action against Iranian aggression.”
“To the Iranian government: if you want more, you will get more,” Graham said.
Suleimani and the Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans and other coalition forces and orchestrated attacks on bases in Iraq within the last several months, including a Dec. 27 attack that killed a U.S. contractor and wounded several service members, the Defense Department said.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, tweeted that Suleimani “was responsible for unthinkable violence and world is better off without him.”
“But Congress didn’t authorize and American people don’t want a war with Iran,” Schiff said. “All steps must now be taken to protect our forces against the almost inevitable escalation and increased risk.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif, called the U.S. strike an “act of international terrorism” and an assassination. He said in a tweet that it was an “extremely dangerous & a foolish escalation.”
“The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism,” Zarif said.
At least two Congressional Republicans called on the Trump administration to provide more details to Congress on its strategy for the region or any further steps.
Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colorado, in a statement commended the strike but said that the administration must be prepared for possible retaliation and should “consult closely with Congress on any next steps should the situation escalate.”
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, also pushed for more information from the White House. “It’s imperative that the US & our allies articulate & pursue a coherent strategy for protecting our security interests in the region. I will be pressing the Administration for additional details in the days ahead,” he tweeted.
Presidential hopefuls in Congress raised concerns about the strike.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said that although Suleiman “was a murderer, responsible for the deaths of thousands, including hundreds of Americans,” the strike was a reckless move.
“Our priority must be to avoid another costly war,” Warren tweeted.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, tweeted that “Trump’s dangerous escalation brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East that could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars.”
Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, tweeted Thursday night: “We have a president who has no strategic plan when it comes to Iran and has only made that region less stable and less safe.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said Suleimani “was responsible for directing Iran’s destabilizing actions in Iraq, Syria, and throughout the Middle East, including attacks against U.S. forces,” but she also said the immediate focus is on protecting U.S. military and diplomatic personnel in Iraq and the region.
“The Administration needs to fully consult with Congress on its decision-making, response plans, and strategy for preventing a wider conflict,” she tweeted.
In addition to Suleimani, the deputy of the militias known as the Popular Mobilization Units in Iraq, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, was also killed, according to Iraqi state television and the PMU.
He had been accused of plotting attacks on the United States since the 1980s. He was convicted in absentia and sentenced to death by Kuwait for his role in the 1983 attacks on the U.S. and French embassies in Kuwait, in which five Kuwaitis were killed.