President Donald Trump's decision to launch the airstrike that killed Iran's top military commander last week undermined U.S. security in several ways, including pushing the Middle East nation "closer and closer" to developing nuclear weapons, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, said Friday.
"Iran is no longer complying with any of the restrictions of the Iran nuclear agreement, and they are speeding closer and closer to developing nuclear weapons capabilities, which increases the threat to the United States and to the world," the Hawaii Democrat told Fox News' "America's Newsroom."
Further, she said U.S. troops are in Iraq to work with partners to prevent a resurgence of ISIS and al Qaeda, and "our U.S. commander in Iraq has said they can no longer do that mission."
Meanwhile, if Trump wants to wage war with Iran, he must explain the situation to Congress, said Gabbard, rejecting a comment from show co-host Bill Hemmer that Trump hasn't suggested that he wants to go to war.
"He has gone to war with Iran," said Gabbard. "That's the reality of the situation."
She also denied that Iran is open to negotiations with the United States.
"Based on what?" she said. "Every single step this administration has made with their maximum pressure campaign has shown that it is further and further derailing any kind of diplomatic or peaceful opportunity for negotiations, to bring Iran back to the table."
She also commented on fellow candidate Pete Buttigieg's claims that the downing of a passenger airliner earlier this week, hours after Iran fired missiles at Iraqi military bases, was because they were caught in an "unnecessary tit for tat" between the two countries.
"I think it's a very unfortunate incident that has affected so many people and so many families," Gabbard said. "This is one of these consequences of this escalation and this state of war that we are in ... this is the consequence of this escalation of war, that further points to why we need to de-escalate these tensions now. I urge President Trump to do so, to get back to the negotiating table and make sure this war no longer continues to move forward."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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