Ben Shapiro rips into ex-Obama adviser over criticism of Soleimani strike
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro vehemently criticized Ben Rhodes, a former national security adviser under President Obama, after Rhodes criticized the Trump administration's decision to take out a key Iranian terrorist in the region.
Their exchange came amid news that a U.S.-led airstrike killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who led part of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
"No question that Soleimani has a lot of blood on his hands. But this is a really frightening moment. Iran will respond and likely in various places. Thinking of all US personnel in the region right now," Rhodes tweeted on Thursday night.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rhodes has long been critical of Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, which he worked to create in the former administration. According to critics like Rhodes, Trump's decision risked destabilizing the region by reimposing sanctions and hindering negotiations surrounding the nation's nuclear program.
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But according to Shapiro, the Iran deal was bad policy and Rhodes was responsible for pushing it on the nation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Remember that time you openly lied to the American people about the Iran deal, then refused to submit it to Congress as an actual treaty because it lacked support?" he asked on Friday.
Shapiro also suggested Rhodes really wasn't equipped to criticize Trump's foreign policy. After Rhodes questioned whether Trump was able to handle a complex foreign crisis, Shapiro tweeted: "I think we should hire a failed novelist who openly lied to the American people while pushing bribery of a terrorist regime to handle this."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Shapiro took aim at Democrats overall, blasting their endorsement of the Iranian nuclear deal.
"Just to get this straight, according to Democrats, giving the Iranian terror regime access to hundreds of billions of dollars with no restrictions on terror use or ballistic missile testing was good, and killing the terrorist responsible for hundreds of American deaths is bad," he said.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Soleimani's death, Shapiro argued, was "perfectly legal."
"And for the record, this wasn't an assassination. Soleimani was a terrorist in the middle of planning more terrorist activity while in a foreign country," he said.
But Rhodes warned that Trump's strike could have negative consequences.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"There are real world consequences to having Trump as President. They are becoming increasingly clear and he is the one who is going to have to navigate incredibly complicated and dangerous messes of his own creation. This is not reality TV," he said.
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Rhodes wasn't the only one to criticize Trump amid the strike on Soleimani. Other former Obama administration officials piled on as well. Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power took issue with Trump tweeting a giant flag amid Soleimani's death.
"A flag is not a strategy," she said in a post retweeted by Rhodes. "Trump is surrounded by sycophants (having fired those who’ve dissented). He has purged Iran specialists. He has abolished NSC processes to review contingencies. He is seen as a liar around the world."
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Former Obama adviser Tommy Vietor also retweeted several posts critical of Trump's decision.
"There's too much throat clearing about what a bad guy Soleimani was," he tweeted. "Yes. He was awful. But the potential consequences are far more significant. The total lack of an Iran strategy needs to be the focus."