In response to recent attacks from Iran on US assets, Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas called for a massive retaliatory response from the US to put and end to the aggression. As U.S. citizens and allies alike grow increasingly concerned in light of escalating tensions between Iran and the US, Senator Cotton reminded the public of the obligation the US has to protect its citizens and military personnel.
Senator Cotton condemned Iran’s actions and highlighted the need for a strong response, noting that “Iran can never be allowed to treat our embassies and servicemembers the way they did in the past. We must make clear that the cost of further escalation with the United States will be far too high for Iran to bear.” He urged the US to take strong and decisive action and warned that the world will be watching in anticipation.
This statement from Senator Cotton comes in the wake of multiple missile strikes by the Iranian government against US assets in Iraq and in response to the recent assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Senator Cotton’s message is clear: the US must respond meaningfully and with strength to Iranian aggression. He alluded to the deteriorating relationship between the US and Iran and reminded the public that Iran’s attacks on US assets “must never be accepted as a new normal”.
Senator Cotton’s sentiments are echoed by other US senators in Congress, specifically Head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, as well as Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who has taken a hard-line stance against Iran. Senator Cotton’s strong remarks of retaliation towards Iran are a reminder of the USA’s commitment to protecting the safety of its citizens and military personnel at all costs.