HENRICO, V.A. – U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement regarding the U.S. strike that killed Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani.

“As a former intelligence officer who worked counterterrorism and Iran issues, I know full well that Soleimani had the blood of hundreds of American servicemembers and thousands of the region’s civilians on his hands. Over the decades, he built a shadow campaign of deadly violence and political unrest that has destabilized the Middle East.

“In the wake of this airstrike, I am concerned about immediate and long-term repercussions, especially as the administration has begun sending additional U.S. troops abroad. American lives across the entire region—including in Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Bahrain, and Jordan—are now at greater risk, as are the lives of allied forces. Right now, we need to take steps to protect U.S. diplomats and military personnel around the globe—especially the many diplomats and the 5,000 U.S. troops already stationed in Iraq—from potential Iranian-directed reprisals.

“Additionally, the administration must brief Members of Congress on its proposed next steps to deescalate this spiraling situation with Tehran and on the legal justification and rationale for ordering this strike. Ultimately, the events of the past week reaffirm the need for a clearly-delineated Iran strategy that can prevent U.S. entry into yet another prolonged military engagement in the region.”

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