Republicans in the United States have commended Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iraq’s capital Baghdad.
The airstrike, which was an order from the US President killed Maj. Gen. Soleimani and his deputy in Baghdad, the Iraqi capital on Friday.
The death of Soleimani has inflamed tensions in the Middle East resulting in a series of war threats from both America and Iran with the Middle East country’s latest threat to retaliate the assassination of their general.
Sen. Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska in a news release said that Soleimani deserved what he got even as he described the general as an ‘evil bastard’, CNN reports.
In the senators words “General Soleimani is dead because he was an evil bastard who murdered Americans and the President made the brave and right call, and Americans should be proud of our service members who got the job done.”
“Tehran is on edge – the mullahs have already slaughtered at least a thousand innocent Iranians – and before they lash out further they should know that the U.S. military can bring any and all of these IRGC butchers to their knees.”
His comments were supported by Sen. Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, who said Soleimani “masterminded Iran’s reign of terror for decades, including the deaths of hundreds of Americans.”
“Tonight, he got what he richly deserved, and all those American soldiers who died by his hand also got what they deserved: justice.
“America is safer now after Soleimani’s demise.”
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair, Republican Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, said Soleimani’s death “presents an opportunity for Iraq to determine its own future free from Iranian control.”
Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called Soleimani a “depraved terrorist” who was “doubtlessly planning operations to further harm our citizens and allies.”
The Republican senator added that it’s “imperative” that the US and its allies “articulate and pursue a coherent strategy for protecting our security interests in the region.”
Meanwhile, Trump on Sunday issued a strong warning to Iran, vowing to hit 52 Iranian sites “very hard” if the Middle East country attacked Americans or United States assets.
His threat came after Iran earlier said it had identified 32 US sites to strike in retaliation for the killing of Soleimani.
In another terse response from Iran, multiple rockets were launched near the US embassy in Baghdad Iraq on Sunday.
The move by the US has drawn condemnation from leaders and officials who fear that tensions in the region could escalate drastically.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei had also warned that “a harsh retaliation is waiting.”
