Sen. McSally says Iran’s top general was a ‘legitimate target’ for the US

Jan 7, 2020, 9:08 AM

U.S. Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

PHOENIX — Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona says the U.S. was justified in its killing of Iran’s top general Qassem Soleimani, calling him a “legitimate target.”

“Soleimani is a terrorist leader. Just like Osama bin Laden, just like (Abu Bakr) al-Baghdadi,” the Republican told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Tuesday.

Iran-supported militiamen attacked the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Dec. 31, three days before the targeted airstrike.

McSally said the attack on the general was intended to disrupt more planned attacks against Americans, which the Department of Defense reported were being formed despite warnings from the U.S.

Qassim Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers during the Iraq War and hostile activities throughout the Middle East. His pursuit of state-sponsored terror has finally come to an end.

— Martha McSally (@SenMcSallyAZ) January 3, 2020

“(Soleimani) was continuing to plan more attacks,” McSally said. “The attacks on the embassy were approved by him.”

McSally said those who have criticized President Donald Trump and his administration for the killing are politically motivated.

“You had Republicans who disagreed with nearly everything that President Obama did, who were praising him as Americans for taking out (bin Laden),” she said.

“We’re just at a different time where everything is political and no matter what this president does, the Democrats are going to be against him.”

Ultimately, McSally said, Soleimani’s death was necessary to save lives.

“What would you have done?” she said. “Sat back and had more American sons and daughters coming home in caskets?”

Arizona’s other senator, Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, expressed a similar sentiment.

“Soleimani was a terrorist and I stand with all Arizonans in honoring the Americans killed and harmed by his actions,” she said in a statement Friday.

“Iran’s aggression should be checked and we must protect all Americans at home and abroad.”