US senators slam Trump officials briefing on Soleimani’s killing justification

WASHINGTON-(MaraviPost)-US Lawmakers (Senators) say President Trump officials failed to present proof justifying Iranian general’s killing without Congress’ approval.

Utah Senator Mike Lee, who belongs to US President Donald Trump’s Republican Party, has questioned the administration’s classified briefing on the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, calling it “the worst” that he has ever attended.

In a press conference in Washington DC, Lee told reporters that he found it “really upsetting” that Trump’s intelligence officials refused to provide information that led to the president’s decision to order Soleimani’s killing.

Another Republican Senator Rand Paul said he “did not learn anything from the hearing” that he had not seen previously from news reports, adding that prospects for diplomacy has been diminished because of Trump’s action. 

Meanwhile, in an interview with CNN, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said “there was no evidence of an imminent and specific threat” from Soleimani to take the US action.

“That was fairly shocking to us, the lack of evidence. Without that, the president doesn’t have the authority to take military action, without coming to Congress first.”

Majority of the Republicans, who contronl the Senate, however defended the decision of Trump.  

Consequently, Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at two Iraqi military bases hosting US troops which the Pentagon confirmed.  

The rockets fired at the Ain al-Asad base in Anbar province and a base in Erbil early on Wednesday came amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran following the US killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in Iraq last week.

Iran had pledged retaliatory attacks against the US for the killing of Soleimani, who the US President Donald Trump said that plotting an ‘imminent attack’ on American forces.

Lloyd M’bwana

I’m a Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR)’s Environmental Science graduate (Malawi) and UK’s ICM Journalism and Media studies scholar. Also University of Malawi (UNIMA) Library Science Scholar. I have been The Malawi Country Manager and duty editor for the Maravi Post since 2019. My duty editor’s job is to ensure that the news is covered properly, that it is delivered on time, and that it is created to the standards set out in the editorial guidelines of the Maravi Post.