Rep. Crenshaw pushes back on 'absurd' criticism of Soleimani airstrike
Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw says he wishes Democrats would 'leave the hypocrisy aside' on fighting enemies that want to destroy us.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas., on Friday blasted Democrats' immediate criticism of the airstrike ordered by President Trump that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Iraq.
“This happened in Iraq against an enemy that attacked us in Iraq, in which we have plenty of authorization to be operating in,” the 35-year-old Navy SEAL veteran told “Fox & Friends.”
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., called on members of Congress late Thursday to join her in putting a stop to President Trump from starting a war as a "distraction" in Iran following the deadly U.S. airstrike. Other Democrats said Trump should have sought congressional approval to carry out the strike.
ILHAN OMAR VOWS TO STOP TRUMP FROM CREATING 'DISTRACTION' WAR IN IRAN
“So what if Trump wants war, knows this leads to war and needs the distraction?” the Democrat "Squad" member tweeted. “Real question is, will those with congressional authority step in and stop him? I know I will.”
IRAN VOWS 'HARSH RETALIATION' AFTER US AIRSTRIKE KILLS IRANIAN GEN. QASSEM SOLEIMANI
The Pentagon confirmed earlier Thursday evening that Trump had ordered the attack that killed Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, among other military officials at Baghdad International Airport in Iraq. Iran’s top “shadow commander” was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more, the State Department said.
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The strike on Soleimani came amid tensions between Washington and Tehran following a New Year's Eve attack by Iranian-backed militias on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Crenshaw explained that the U.S. is not supposed to allow attacks from its enemies without consequences.
“Iran attacked our base recently. Then, they attacked our embassy or they fully supported the Shia militias that did attack our embassy and base," he said. "Are we supposed to just let that happen? And to say yes would be absurd, and I don’t understand when Americans became so fearful.”
Crenshaw called for lawmakers to "disabuse ourselves of this notion that we should simply continue to take punches," slamming those on the left who are apologizing for killing "a man who has killed Americans."
"I don't understand where this American self-loathing came from and thank God they're not in charge," he said.
Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
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