OPINION | This article contains opinion. This site is licensed to publish this content.
President Trump’s decision to order a military drone strike to take out the world’s number one terrorist ruffled Democratic feathers, but his latest comment about Iran has some Democrats accusing him of committing a war crime.
Democratic congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar both took to Twitter to accuse the president of committing a war crime… for simply sending a series of tweets.
Trump’s tweets were written in response to Iran, who is threatening retaliation for the U.S. killing its top military commander.
“Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently hundreds of Iranian protesters,” Trump said in an initial tweet.
“He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations,” he continued. “Iran has been nothing but problems for many years.”
Trump then offered the Iranians a warning: “Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!”
Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020
….targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020
Trump is not going to sit idle and allow American troops, its citizens, or its allies of being victims of Iran any longer. Enough is enough, he has made very clear.
The Washington Examiner adds:
Tensions between the United States and Iran have boiled over in the days following an airstrike ordered by Trump after Iranian-militants surrounded the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Thousands marched through the streets of Baghdad on Saturday, chanting, “Death to America.”
Ocasio-Cortez claimed that Congress had a “moral and legal obligation” to prevent war with Iran after Trump attacked top military leaders in Iraq.
Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated that “revenge awaits,” and Gen. Gholamali Abuhamzeh claimed Iran had 35 targets ready to attack, including the Strait of Hormuz.
Democrats in the House of Representatives, however, are against Trump’s decision.
“This is a war crime,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted in response to the president. “Threatening to target and kill innocent families, women and children – which is what you’re doing by targeting cultural sites – does not make you a ‘tough guy.'”
“It does not make you ‘strategic.’ It makes you a monster,” she added.
This is a war crime.
Threatening to target and kill innocent families, women and children – which is what you’re doing by targeting cultural sites – does not make you a “tough guy.”
It does not make you “strategic.”
It makes you a monster. https://t.co/IjkNO8BD07— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 5, 2020
“The President of the United States is threatening to commit war crimes on Twitter,” Omar added. “God help us all!”
The President of the United States is threatening to commit war crimes on Twitter.
God help us all! #25thAmendment https://t.co/nYZSvpo8rG
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 5, 2020
Here’s how some people responded to the congresswomen, via Twitchy:
AOC is an embarrassment to the Congress and to the country. Her ignorance is limitless. She knows so little, about so much, which she blathers on about so often, that it’s astonishing sane people take her seriously. The idiocy in this tweet is really something to behold. 👇🏻 https://t.co/lv9TVnvwR9
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) January 5, 2020
My goodness. @IlhanMN's spin machine is really working overtime this weekend.
No, Congresswoman, there are no threats of war crimes under any international laws.
To see examples of war crimes, look through Iran's history the last four decades. There are several.
— JD Rucker (@JDRucker) January 5, 2020
I heard you’re being redistricted. Goodbye and good riddance. You wouldn’t know a war crime if one happened right in front of your eyes.
— Col. Rob Maness ret. (@RobManess) January 5, 2020
On the contrary Ilhan, he’s putting them and you on notice that unlike a previous administration, he WILL take action. And as Commander in Chief it is his Job to do exactly what he is doing! If you take issue with it or don’t like it, find another government!
— Mike Voelker (@mvoelker_1) January 5, 2020
But it’s okay when Soleimani does it, right?
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) January 5, 2020
You were silent when 1,500 Iranians were murdered just for protesting the regime. Your mouth is bigger than your brain and you should use the former far less and the latter far more.
— Rachel 🐶💙🇺🇸 (@RaychelTania) January 5, 2020
Remember when you said the same thing when Obama killed Osama??
Neither do I.
You're an absolute disgrace to our great country. Resign your citizenship and move to Venezuela.
— David Wohl (@DavidWohl) January 5, 2020
So we shouldn’t defend ourselves if Iran attacks us?
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 5, 2020
Thank you @realDonaldTrump for having the guts to protect us! Something the do nothing Democrat’s are too cowardly to do
— david slavitt (@lameduckg) January 5, 2020
Uhhhhh… where in that tweet does it say anything about killing families, women, or children???
You seriously need to settle the phuck down. Your histrionics and misrepresentations aren’t helping anything or anyone, you insufferable propagandist.
— Not Mandie (@ImNotMandie) January 5, 2020