Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota said Friday she and her fellow Democrats are outraged that President Trump assassinated Iranian Gen. Hassem Suleimani, whom she called “a foreign official,” without telling Congress.
“We are outraged the president would assassinate a foreign official, possibly setting off another war without Congressional authorization and has zero plan to deal with the consequences,” Ms. Omar tweeted in a response to Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican. “But of course you know that.”
Mr. Cruz had pointed out that even the Obama administration acknowledged Soleimani “was a terrorist directly responsible for the murder of over 500 US service men & women.”
“Why are congressional Dems outraged that he’s finally dead?” Mr. Cruz asked on Twitter.
The administration believes Suleimani, as commander of Iran’s Quds force, controlled a terrorist network and was not a legitimate representative of Iran’s government.
Ms. Omar, one of the liberal “squad” of Democratic freshmen who have clashed often with Mr. Trump, suggested that Mr. Trump ordered the strike because of his impeachment, asking “what if Trump wants war, knows this leads to war and needs the distraction?”
“Real question is, will those with congressional authority step in and stop him? I know I will,” she tweeted.
Another member of “the Squad,” Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, also criticized Mr. Trump’s lethal strike in Iraq.
“We cannot stay silent as this lawless president recklessly moves us closer to yet another unnecessary war that puts innocent lives at risk at home & across the globe,” she tweeted. “Congress alone has the authority to declare war, & we must reclaim our responsibility & say no to war with Iran.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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