U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, joined both Varney & Co. and Outnumbered Overtime Wednesday to discuss her reactions to President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
On the killing of Iranian Military Leader Qassem Soleimani, Senator Ernst, who served as a company commander in Iraq, said:
“I do happen to know of many individuals that have been maimed—we’ve seen them cross through Walter Reed, many of them will go to San Antonio to BAMC (Brooke Army Medical Center) there. General Soleimani has been involved in many of the IED incidents we have seen through Iraq. We know he has supported the proxy forces there, and in other countries as well. I have no qualms about that man being off the face of the planet.”
On the United States’ strategy in the Middle East, Senator Ernst said:
“What I want to do is lean forward a little bit and take a look at the strategy overall now in the Middle East. How we keep an eye on Iran, how we stop them from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and how we stop them from participating in other terrorist organizations and asymmetrical warfare…
“They have crossed the red line and the president responded…now we want to see where we go from here.”
Ernst also sent out a release on Wednesday commending President Trump’s decisiveness.
“President Trump’s decisive action took out a thug and known terrorist, Qassem Soleimani, and sent a clear, strong message to Iran: there are consequences for crossing a red line,” said Ernst, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. “As someone who’s worn our nation’s uniform, and served as a company commander in Iraq, I’m confident in the capabilities of our military and intelligence personnel, and I commend them for their ongoing efforts in the region. While I’m hopeful Iran is choosing the smart path—for their own sake—by de-escalating, in the meantime we must continue our maximum pressure campaign against the Iranian regime and remain vigilant against the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism.”
