Words Toward US Trump... "More Sacrifices" vs "Realization of Justice"

Order to Kill Iranian Commander Soleimani
Conflicting Domestic Evaluations... Key Figures' Twitter Comments

President Donald Trump [Photo by Reuters]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Conflicting evaluations are emerging in the United States regarding President Donald Trump, who ordered the airstrike that killed Qasim Soleimani, the powerful Iranian military commander of the Quds Force.

According to major U.S. media on the 3rd (local time), former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden pointed out the issue on his Twitter, saying, "This is an action that has greatly escalated the conflict in an already dangerous region."

Former Vice President Joe Biden said, "President Trump has thrown a bomb into a tinderbox situation and has an obligation to explain the strategy and plans to protect our troops, embassy staff, people, interests, and allies (in the Middle East and beyond) both inside and outside the country."

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy also pointed out, "Soleimani is an enemy of the United States, but the act of killing him could put more Americans at risk."

He added, "The reason we do not assassinate foreign politicians is because such actions could instead cause many Americans to die."

In fact, the U.S. Embassy in Iraq issued an emergency statement on the same day, ordering all U.S. citizens in Iraq to leave immediately. The embassy announced, "As tensions rise in Iraq and the Middle East, all U.S. nationals must leave Iraq immediately," and added, "U.S. citizens should use flights if available, and if not, leave the country by land to another country."

The procedural legitimacy of the airstrike in Iraq also became an issue. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, "Tonight's airstrike carries the risk of further igniting violence," emphasizing, "The United States and the world must not escalate tensions to an irreversible level."

She continued, "The (Trump) administration carried out the attack in Iraq against Iran tonight without Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), and moreover, this action was taken without congressional discussion." The AUMF is the authority that allows the U.S. president to wage war without congressional approval if an imminent attack on the United States by an enemy is judged.

On the other hand, there are those who support President Trump's actions. Republican Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed support for President Trump on his Twitter, stating, "Qasim Soleimani is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans."

He pointed out, "As we warned the Iranian government, they should not mistake our rational restraint in response to previous attacks for weakness," and praised, "Today’s action delivered justice on behalf of all soldiers who have been killed or injured over the years by rocket-propelled missiles in Iraq or Iranian improvised explosive devices."

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on her Twitter, "Qasim Soleimani is a major terrorist with American blood on his hands," adding, "His death will be applauded by all who seek peace and justice." She further stated, "I am proud of President Trump for taking strong and right action."

The U.S. Department of Defense announced on the 2nd (local time) in a statement, "Under the president's orders, we killed Commander Soleimani, head of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps." The Department of Defense emphasized that this measure was a defensive action to protect U.S. personnel overseas.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.