Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is praising the U.S. airstrike that killed a top Iranian military leader in Iraq. Opening the Senate, McConnell called General Qassem Soleimani a "terrorist mastermind." He argued that the Iranian general was not just a threat to the U.S., but "created, sustained and directed terrorist proxies everywhere from Yemen to Iraq to Syria to Lebanon." President Trump justified his decision to launch the missile strike, tweeting this morning Soleimani killed or badly wounded thousands of Americans and claimed the general was plotting to kill many more.
Senator Lindsey Graham says he got a heads-up about the airstrike that claimed the life of a senior Iranian military leader in Iraq. The South Carolina Republican told Fox News that he was briefed on the different courses of action during a visit with the President in Florida. Graham added Iran was "about to unleash holy hell on our people in Iraq" and praised Trump for ordering the airstrike. Congressional Democratic leaders have complained about not being informed about the airstrike before it happened. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is demanding a full classified briefing for lawmakers.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says no one should shed a tear over the death of a top Iranian military leader. Talking on the Senate floor, Schumer also argued that congressional leaders should have been briefed before the airstrike. He warned about a larger and potentially endless escalation of violence in the Middle East. Schumer said the President does not have the authority to wage war on Iran without congressional authorization.