Says Markey: “We cannot and must not get drawn into a costly war with Iran”

Boston (January 3, 2020) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement in response to Pentagon confirmation that the United States carried out the targeted killing of individuals including Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran’s parliamentary Quds Force and a designated terrorist. The Quds Force is engaged in malign activities throughout the region on behalf of Iran. This news comes after announced U.S. plans to deploy additional armed forces to Iraq following violent protests at U.S. Embassy Baghdad.

“The assassination of Qassem Soleimani is a massive, deliberate, and dangerous escalation of conflict with Iran,” said Senator Markey. “Soleimani was responsible for assassinations, terrorism, and the deaths of countless, including Americans. But President Trump’s decision will make the United States less safe. Rather than deterring new attacks on American interests as the Administration insists, this killing surely invites them. The President just put the lives of every person in the region – U.S. servicemembers and civilians – at immediate risk without an apparent response and follow-on plan or coordination with our allies. We need de-escalation now. We cannot and must not get drawn into a costly war with Iran.

“Congress is the only entity that can authorize military force. President Trump must come immediately to Congress and brief us with details of what imminent threat the administration supposedly was preventing, as well as the diplomatic strategy to avert another military campaign in the Middle East, which would lead to devastating loss in lives and treasure.”

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