Army veteran injured by Iranian explosive on Soleimani death: 'For us, it's retribution'

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Veteran injured by Iranian bomb in Iraq reacts to Soleimani's death

U.S. airstrike kills Iranian military leader; Iraq war veteran Sgt. Robert Bartlett reacts.

Retired Army Staff Sgt. Roger Bartlett, who was the victim of an Iranian explosive device that left him severely injured and blind in one eye while serving in Iraq, told "The Story with Martha MacCallum" that he celebrated the death of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani before showing the host pictures of his military colleagues who lost their lives in the Middle East.

"All these guys... died at the hands of the Iranians in this current regime and some to the Quds Force and Soleimani, at his hands," Bartlett said holding up pictures of his comrades. "So for us, it's, it's retribution."

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"But it's finally policies that make sense and protecting the United States and its citizens and especially its military who serve in these conflicts," Bartlett added.

The Pentagon confirmed late Thursday that President Trump ordered the drone strike that killed Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, at Baghdad International Airport early Friday.

Bartlett defended the killing and made his case to those worried about "escalation."

"I say we need to send a message. They've been sending us a message for years that they're at war with us. We've done nothing. We've sent money. That didn't work. We tried to buy a morality that didn't work. We sent policies out, put sanctions on them, not at the level that they're at now. But none of those things worked," Bartlett said. "So how many times you got to ... stick your finger in this light socket before you realize it shocks you?"

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Bartlett added that he believes "there are plenty of good Iranians" that would benefit from a regime change.

"You just get rid of this regime. It would be wonderful if we can do that," Bartlett said. "And if we can support those locally who are willing to live in today's society without terrorism, that's great."

Fox News' Frank Miles contributed to this report.