Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) pushed back at leftist talking points criticizing President Trump’s decision to take out Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, distinguishing between fact and fiction on nine key points.
Before getting started, Rubio reminded Americans that Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of U.S. diplomats and service members and had been in the midst of planning future attacks in the region.
“Some are so blinded by hatred of Trump that they argue he has done something sinister,” the GOP senator said on Twitter. “Its [sic] crazy. Total derangement.”
FICTION: Under the Obama #IranDeal everything was calm & under control with #Iran but Trumps maximum pressure campaign has brought us to the brink of war
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2020
FACT: Obama deal helped Iran fund the acceleration of its missile program & its support for Shia terrorist proxies
FICTION: Trump has taken reckless & impulsive action with no planning or forethought for what comes next
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2020
FACT: Trump acted on previously expressed red lines that were crossed,after exhausting all other options & fully aware that Iran will now respond,if only to save face
FICTION: Iran’s clerical leaders can be influenced & swayed with diplomacy & economic incentives
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2020
FACT: Iran’s leaders are Shia/Persian expansionists whose overarching goal is an arc of dominance covering Iraq, Syria, Lebanon & Bahrain at the expense of Sunnis, Israel & the U.S.
FICTION: Trump is desperate to start a war in the Middle East
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2020
FACT: Trump has had several opportunities to justifiably respond militarily to Iran & did not. He has tried everything short of capitulation to avoid armed conflict with Iran.
FICTION: Trump ordered the assasination of a foreign “General” and as a result has placed us on the brink of war.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2020
FACT: Soleimani was an active enemy combatant, more dangerous than evil men such as Bin Laden & Baghdadi & who operated without regard for the law of war
FICTION:Armed conflict can always be avoided
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2020
FACT:Sadly,sometimes the only way to avoid armed conflict is surrender or capitulation. And sometimes the best way to avoid a broader conflict is limited but decisive action that leaves a clear cost-benefit calculus for an adversary
FICTION:Trump has no authority to order military action against Iranian proxies & IRGC elements without congressional approval
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2020
FACT: President has a duty to defend against (& if possible prevent)attacks against our Armed Forces under both the Constitution & War Powers Resolution
FICTION: Strike on Soleimani is the reason Iran will now unleash attacks on Americans
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2020
FACT: Iran has been attacking Americans for years & was planning more attacks in the near term via various proxies. Because they believed our threats of retaliation was idle talk.
reposting due to typo
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2020
FICTION: This is Trumps fault for pulling us out of #IranDeal
FACT: Soleimani & Quds Force never stopped trying to kill Americans,before,during or after “deal”
The only impact Iran Deal had on Soleimani was providing him more cash to fund his operations
The Pentagon said Soleimani and the Quds Force were responsible for killing hundreds of U.S. and coalition service members and injuring thousands of others.
“He had orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq over the last several months – including the attack on December 27th – culminating in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi personnel. General Soleimani also approved the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week,” the Pentagon said.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper also explained Soleimani was "actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region."
Iran has warned that "a forceful revenge awaits the criminals who have his blood and the blood of the other martyrs last night on their hands."
Rubio named several acts of retaliation he believed Iran may undertake.
Potential Iranian responses:
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2020
-activate contingency plans for Hezbollah & Quds operatives worldwide,including W.Hem & homeland for targeted assasinations/attacks
-paying & advanced weapons to non-Shia groups (i.e. Taliban) for attacks
-cyber measures
-Hezbollah attacks on Israel
Later in the day, Rubio also took a swipe at former Vice President Joe Biden for his campaign video criticizing the president for his "erratic, unstable" behavior in foreign policy.
"It is a FACT that #Soleimani spent the last several days traveling the Middle East coordinating imminent attacks by #Iran & its proxies against our troops," he said. "The fact that every Democrat running for President would have done nothing about it is reason alone to vote against them."
It is a FACT that #Soleimani spent the last several days traveling the Middle East coordinating imminent attacks by #Iran & its proxies against our troops. The fact that every Democrat running for President would have done nothing about it is reason alone to vote against them. https://t.co/V4jP0Fp2kf
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2020