WASHINGTON – Democratic presidential candidates say they are sending prayers to U.S. military members as reports develop of Iranian missile strikes on Iraqi military bases that house American and coalition forces.
The strike, an apparent move of retaliation for the U.S.-ordered killing of military leader Qasem Soleimani, occurred Tuesday evening and consisted of at least a dozen ballistic missiles targeting at least two sites, according to the Defense Department.
“It is clear that these missiles were launched from Iran and targeted at least two Iraqi military bases hosting U.S. military and coalition personnel at Al-Assad and Irbil,” a Pentagon spokesperson said. “We are working on initial battle damage assessments.”
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Democratic candidates have criticized Trump heavily for his decision to target Soleimani, but the immediate aftermath of the Tuesday missile strikes largely focused on supporting troops while calling for a de-escalation of hostilities.
Former Vice President Joe Biden said on Twitter he would not comment on the strikes until more information was available, “but there is one thing I will say: Jill and I are keeping our troops and Americans overseas in our prayers. We hope you’ll keep them in yours.”
Biden did address the airstrike at a fundraiser outside Philadelphia as reports emerged, saying that he’d speak on it generally without many details available at the time.
“What’s happening in Iraq and Iran today was predictable,” Biden said, according to a pool report sent out by his campaign. “Not exactly what’s happening but the chaos that’s ensuing.” He pointed to Trump’s withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and Soleimani’s killing.
“Some of the things [Trump has] done and said in the meantime have been close to ludicrous,” Biden said. “Including threatening to bomb holy sites… And I just pray to God as he goes through what’s happening, as we speak, that he’s listening to his military commanders for the first time because so far that has not been the case.”
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New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker tweeted shortly after news broke, “Praying for the safety of our troops and personnel in Iraq right now.”
He added, “We are quickly heading to a point of no return in the region. We must use diplomacy to deescalate and keep Americans safe at home and abroad.”
Booker had previously said that Trump “has made that region less stable and less safe” with his policy toward Iran.
“Prayers for safety of all military personnel. Prayers for wisdom for all governmental personnel. Prayers for peace for all the world,” author Marianne Williamson said. After Soleimani was killed, Williamson said that Iran would “almost certainly” react significantly and warned that war with Iran would be “catastrophic.”
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“Tonight, Americans in Iraq are under fire,” Pete Buttigieg said. “My prayers are with them, their loved ones, and their families.”
The former South Bend, Ind. Mayor, like his Democratic opponents, had already noted that Soleimani was a threat to “safety and security, and that he masterminded threats and attacks on America and our allies.” But, he said, Congress and allies needed to be consulted before military action took place “that could destabilize an entire region.”
“We must do all we can to protect our servicemembers and Americans at risk,” Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar said in a tweet of the Iranian missile attack. Klobuchar has expressed concern about the “timing, manner and potential consequences” of Soleimani’s death.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren opened a speaking event in Brooklyn by informing the audience about the news. Warren, too, believes that Trump’s actions were reckless and would endanger lives.
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“We have to start on a very sober note,” she said. “For any of you who haven’t been able to follow it, within the last hour, the Iranian government has announced that it has sent missiles to attack our military bases in Iraq.”
“My three brothers all served in the military. At this moment, my heart and my prayers are with our military and with their families in Iraq and all around the world. But this is a reminder of why we need to deescalate tension in the Middle East. The American people do not want a war with Iran.”
And entrepreneur Andrew Yang, too, sent “thoughts and prayers” to the service members in Iraq: “may they be safe and secure and see their families again.”
Sen. Michael Bennet, who called Trump “the weakest foreign policy president in my lifetime” after the strike on Soleimani, also tweeted Tuesday night. “American servicemembers are under attack. I’m monitoring the situation and thinking of the brave men and women serving in our military tonight.”
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Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick tweeted that, “Americans and our allies are under fire tonight. Let us keep them and their families in our prayers.”
Gaggling with reporters after an event in New Hampshire, Hawaiian Congresswoman and veteran Tulsi Gabbard described texting fellow friends and veterans who were asking, “What the f*** is going on?”
The day after the attack, billionaire Tom Steyer tweeted that he was “grateful that no Americans or Iraqis were harmed in last night’s missile strikes by Iran. Let’s make one thing clear: Trump created this crisis and his remarks today demonstrate, once again, that his go at it alone strategy makes our country less safe.”
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said, “The American people do not want war with Iran” and that “Congress cannot stand by. It must act now to pass our legislation to uphold the Constitution and prevent Trump from spending trillions more on endless war.”
In an interview with the Washington Post Tuesday night, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg touched on the uncertainty of the situation with Iran, saying of Trump, “I do know that if you’re making irresponsible decisions, the likelihood of bad and even calamitous results grows.”
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