Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg questioned President Trump’s decision to launch a drone strike that killed top Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani and whether the United States is prepared for potential retaliation for the death.
“No one ought to shed a tear for Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was behind attacks and destabilizing efforts across the region. If there is one thing we have learned in our modern times about U.S. involvement abroad, it’s that when you don’t have a plan or know what you’re doing — when you act when there could have been another way — taking out a bad guy is not necessarily a good idea,” the 37-year-old Buttigieg said Friday.
“Was this decision made carelessly, or was it made strategically? Was there any preparation for the secondary effects and the effects that are going to come after that?” he said.
Buttigieg, who was deployed as an intelligence officer in Afghanistan for six months in 2014, also asked whether members of Congress and American allies were consulted about the strike before it happened. Top congressional Democrats were not alerted before the Quds Force commander was taken out, but Pelosi spoke with Defense Secretary Mark Esper after the attack.
I’m in New Hampshire where I addressed the events unfolding in the Middle East.
This must not be the beginning of another endless war. pic.twitter.com/WMzybRgVh4
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) January 3, 2020
Many former U.S. officials and current lawmakers have warned about the expected retaliation from Iran.
New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, noted that Iran has “sleeper cells” inside the U.S. that could retaliate. Former CIA acting director Mike Morell said Iran could attack Americans on U.S. soil and target a senior American official in a terrorist attack.
Chad Wolf, the acting Homeland Security secretary, said Friday he was not aware of any “specific” or “credible” threats on U.S. soil, though some cities have stepped up security.
