Washington, DC – Representative Xochitl Torres Small, member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement after a deadly airstrike at the Baghdad International Airport killed Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani:
“There is no question—Major General Soleimani was a terrorist. He is responsible for the deaths of Americans and civilians throughout the Middle East and he constantly threatened efforts to stabilize the region. We are now faced, however, with grave questions about the planning and execution of this strike, and what intelligence led to the belief that there was an imminent threat on American lives. Destabilization of the Middle East endangers the lives of thousands of American troops abroad, and those of us here at home. Continued military engagement with Iran puts American lives at risk, and we cannot take such actions lightly. I urge the Administration to coordinate with Congress about its long-term plans to engage with Iran.”