U.S. Drone Strike Kills High-Ranking Militia Leader Connected to Attack on U.S. Base in Iraq
In a recent U.S. drone strike in Iraq, a high-ranking militia leader with connections to the attack on a U.S. base was killed. The attack, which took place in Jordan, claimed the lives of three service members. The strike was welcomed by Florida Congressman Mike Waltz, who expressed his satisfaction over its occurrence.
However, Congressman Waltz also highlighted his concerns regarding the overall approach taken by the administration in dealing with Iran. He emphasized the need to target not just the militias in Iraq but also Iranian assets and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operatives and commanders who support these militias. According to Congressman Waltz, solely targeting the militias would not effectively restore deterrence as Iran would easily trade them for American casualties.
Responding to questions about the timing of the strike, Congressman Waltz acknowledged that the militia leader was plotting further attacks on the United States. However, he expressed his belief that such action should have been taken earlier to prevent the numerous attacks that have already occurred.
Furthermore, Congressman Waltz stressed the importance of going after the aspects that truly matter to Iran, specifically their intelligence operatives and IRGC commanders. He called for a comprehensive approach that includes drying up Iranian cash flow by imposing secondary sanctions on Chinese buyers, shippers, and refineries involved in purchasing Iranian oil. This strategy aims to cut off the funds that Iran uses to support terrorist groups and supply weapons and equipment to other nations like Russia.
In a related development, it was recently announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call. Although no details regarding the conversation have been released, this communication between the leaders of China and Russia underscores the increasing closeness between the two countries and raises concerns about the growing alignment of adversaries to Western democracies, particularly the United States.
Congressman Waltz expressed his apprehension over this 'No Limits Partnership' and highlighted the urgency to address this alliance between China and Russia. He emphasized the need to break the cycle of cooperation among these adversarial nations and urged the administration to develop a comprehensive strategy to counter their growing influence and activities.
In conclusion, the recent U.S. drone strike in Iraq, resulting in the elimination of a high-ranking militia leader, has been welcomed by Congressman Waltz. However, he has also raised concerns about the broader approach to countering Iran and the need to target their intelligence operatives and IRGC commanders. The phone call between the leaders of China and Russia further reinforces ongoing concerns about the alignment of adversaries against Western democracies.
