Sens. Kaine, Warner respond to U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian commander

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WFXR) — Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) both released statements on Friday regarding the airstrike in Baghdad that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani of Iran’s elite Quds Force.

“For years, I’ve been deeply concerned about President Trump stumbling into a war with Iran. We’re now at a boiling point, and Congress must step in before Trump puts even more of our troops in harm’s way,” says Kaine. “We owe it to our service members to have a debate and vote about whether or not it’s in our national interest to engage in another unnecessary war in the Middle East.”

Kaine — a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Armed Services Committee — filed a war powers resolution on Friday afternoon. This resolution will force Congress to debate and vote on whether the U.S. should engage in further hostilities with Iran, which would require a declaration of war or an explicit authorization for the use of military force.

“Qassem Soleimani was an enemy of the United States who was responsible for violence across the Middle East and the deaths of thousands of people, including hundreds of Americans,” says Warner, who serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. “We need to be prepared for the long-term potential consequences of this action, which include: counter-attacks on U.S. troops and personnel in the region; substantial harm to the ongoing fight against the remnants of ISIS; and ultimately, the possibility of reduced U.S. influence in the region, further empowering our adversaries to the detriment of U.S. national security and our allies in the Middle East.”

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