FILE - In this Friday, March 27, 2015, file photo provided by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, commander of Iran's Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani prays in a religious ceremony at a mosque in the residence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, Iran. Iraqi TV and three Iraqi officials said Friday, Jan. 3, 2020, that Soleimani has been killed in an airstrike at Baghdad’s international airport. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP, File)
Members of Congress from Utah have been responding Friday to the news that a US airstrike killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani late Thursday night.
Utah Senator Mitt Romney says the US killed a depraved terrorist who had the blood of hundreds of American servicemen and women on his hands that was planning operations to further harm US citizens and allies.
“We remember and honor the sacrifice of those servicemen and women, and we commend our brave troops and intel officers who carried out this successful mission,” Romney said in his statement.
Romney is also a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is calling for a coherent strategy in the days and weeks ahead.
“We will defend and we can defend American lives and American interests,” said Representative Chris Stewart live on Utah’s Morning News on KSL Newsradio. “When they kill American citizens, as they did within the last several weeks, we will respond. It is important for the Iranian leadership to know that.”
Stewart also thanked President Trump for his decisive leadership.
Stewart told KSL that Congress had been made aware generally of the escalating situation in the middle east, but the President did not come to them directly ahead of this air strike, and he shouldn’t have, because of security and secrecy concerns.
“I have great confidence in the President and his team,” he said.
When asked about concerns this could lead to war, Stewart said the US has actually been withdrawing forces from the region, and he expects a measured and thoughtful approach.
And you can hear Representative Stewart’s entire interview on KSL Newsradio below.
Utah Representative Ben McAdams said Soleimani was a terrorist, and there had to be consequences.
Meanwhile the troops are on his mind now.
“I want to make sure any risk they take to defend this country is worth it, that there is a coherent and long-term strategy to protect the United States, to protect freedom abroad,” he told Utah’s Morning News.
McAdams said it’s time now for Congress to work together.
“Men and women, their lives may be on the line to defend this country. And let’s make sure that partisanship, democrat and republican, has nothing to do with the decisions we make going forward,” he said.
Here is Representative McAdam’s entire interview on KSL Newsradio.
Utah Representative and member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee John Curtis released a statement echoed thoughts that the Iranian general was “responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans in Iraq and elsewhere.”
Curtis pointed to the State Department’s official number of 603 people who have reportedly been killed.
“With reports of Soleimani actively plotting more attacks against the US, the President acted decisively to protect countless lives including our service members, diplomats, and everyday citizens,” Curtis said.
Moving forward, Curtis said he expects to hear from the Trump Administration to brief him and his colleagues on the House Foreign Affairs Committee on further details.
Senator Mike Lee said the death of Qasem Soleimani was a victory for the US.
He added that he is “anxious to learn about the legal justification for this action, and look forward to being briefed by the Pentagon and the White House.”
Representative Rob Bishop said this is an event that should not be taken lightly. Bishop said he supports President Trump for protecting the U.S.
“In this particular situation, where you had somebody who very definitely attacked United States citizens as well as our assets and also has very definitely planned future attacks and future strikes,” Bishop said to Lee Lonsberry Friday. “This seems like the appropriate approach and I think somewhat of a restrained approach to take in this particular situation.”
Bishop said he stands behind the president for “putting down the marker that the United States takes this kind of activity seriously.”
You can listen to the full response from Bishop on KSL NewsRadio.