Nancy Pelosi Asks Iran To Cease Violence After Missile Attack On U.S. Troops

Tensions with Iran continue to rise after the death of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, and political leaders are continuing to speak out on actions taken both locally and internationally. Now that everyone from presidential hopefuls to political critics have shared perspectives, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a powerful statement.

Tuesday night, on the heels of Iran attacking Iraqi bases that house U.S. troops, Pelosi issued a statement via Twitter condemning the attacks. “We must ensure the safety of our service members, including ending needless provocations from the Administration and demanding that Iran cease its violence.”

The House Speaker, who remains starkly against Trump’s handling of Iran, also tweeted that the United States and the world “cannot afford war.”

Pelosi was among eight congress members who were briefed on Tuesday night following an Iraqi air base housing U.S. forces that was hit by more than a dozen ballistic missiles from Iran. Others included Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, who also shared their own sentiments on Twitter around the strike.

But the missile attack comes in response to the first U.S. motion on Iran. On January 3, by order of President Trump, U.S. drones killed Soleimani, the security and intelligence commander in Iran and powerful leader of the Islamic Republic’s paramilitary apparatus.

The attack happened in an airstrike in Baghdad. American officials previously held Soleimani responsible for killing hundreds of Americans during war with Iraq by providing them with bomb-making equipment to target U.S. troops. On Friday, Trump stated that the airstrike was an effort “to stop a war,” though Pelosi and other top leaders feel that his actions have instead ignited a larger issue.

Pelosi’s statement sends a clear message: that the speaker is telling Iran to not continue escalating this situation, as it could turn into a costly and brutal war for all involved, and that she is sharply against the Trump administration continuing to provoke hostilities in the region. By hitting at both Iran and the Trump administration, the speaker has made it clear she is against this action – from both sides.

Her sentiment also strongly aligns with what fellow Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren said late last week about the current administration being reckless. The presidential hopeful also spoke strongly against the president’s sudden escalation in the Middle East. 

“Donald Trump is dangerous and reckless,” Warren wrote in a tweet. “He's escalated crises and betrayed our partners. He's undermined our diplomatic relationships for his own personal, political gain.”

Warren also seemed to suggest that Trump's actions may directly lead the U.S. into another war. “We cannot allow him to drag us back into another war,” she added. “We must speak out.”

A potential U.S. military conflict with Iran remains extremely unpopular with the American public at large. According to a national September 2019 University of Maryland survey, three-quarters of Americans — including a majority of Republicans — believe that going to war with Iran would not be in line with U.S. foreign policy interests.