A Democratic congressman told the nation’s top military commander Tuesday that American troops dying in Iran were dying for “a mistake.” The commander pushed back.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) said at a House Armed Services Committee hearing that the Iran war “doesn’t seem to be going well” before turning to the casualty count.
“I would like to know how many more Americans we have to ask to die for this mistake,” Moulton said.
Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, wasn’t having it. “I think it’s an entirely inappropriate statement from you, sir,” Cooper replied.
Moulton shot back: “It’s not a statement, it’s a question.”
Fourteen U.S. service members have been killed in combat since Operation Epic Fury began Feb. 28. Cooper told lawmakers the operation has destroyed Iran’s navy and cut its missile strike capability by roughly 90 percent. He called reports that Iran had rebuilt key missile sites “inaccurate” and said U.S. forces had met every assigned military objective.
Tuesday’s session ran hours and turned ugly more than once. Democrats pressed Cooper and other Pentagon officials on whether the administration had any plan beyond air and naval strikes, whether the ongoing operations broke the War Powers Resolution, and whether the U.S. was actually safer after months of fighting.
Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) focused on incidents after the April 7 ceasefire, noting that American forces had hit Iranian tankers and exchanged fire with Iranian troops even after the White House told Congress that hostilities were over. Cooper said the operations were lawful.
The hearing came on the same day Trump said he had canceled a planned new round of strikes at the request of Gulf allies. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE told him negotiations were moving and asked him to wait.
“This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!” Trump posted on Truth Social Monday.
