Several SA leaders and Texas lawmakers shared statements about the coordinated military strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Iran early Saturday. Here’s what they said.
SAN ANTONIO — State and local leaders are speaking out after the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes on Iran early Saturday, actions President Donald Trump described as “major combat operations,” according to The Associated Press.
The president said the attacks are a massive operation aimed at destroying the country’s military capabilities and eliminating the threat of it creating a nuclear weapon. Overnight, Trump posted an 8-minute video on social media calling on the people of Iran to “seize control of your destiny” by rise up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979.
Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military bases in the region.
In the wake of the news, several San Antonio-area lawmakers and state leaders shared statements about the strikes.
Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio)
In a statement, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro criticized the Trump administration’s decision to pursue military action, providing the statement below:
“Rather than making life affordable for American families, the President has decided to drag our country into yet another war in the Middle East.
For 25 years, a generation of American servicemembers and their families have sacrificed in pursuit of regime change wars in the Middle East. Successive Presidents have tried to use military force to remake societies in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Yemen. In each case, the United States was not able to predict the consequences of our actions and in each case, it resulted in disaster.
Instead of taking these lessons to heart, the President has asked yet another generation of Americans to sacrifice in the hope that, this time, it will be different.
Make no mistake, this war may be in the interest of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Israel — but it is not in ours.
Since I got to Congress 14 years ago, where I have served on the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, and Armed Services Committees, we have constantly been told that Iran is days away from achieving nuclear capability. Rather than support a negotiated agreement to contain Iran’s nuclear program, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu ripped up President Obama’s nuclear deal so they could continue to use the threat of a nuclear Iran to wage this war that Americans are being asked to fight in.
This war is being conducted without legal authorization, or consultation with the Congress. When the Congress returns to Washington, we must immediately vote on the War Powers Resolution to stop this war that the American people did not vote for and do not want.”
Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin)
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett also reacted, criticizing the decision to launch an attack and saying the move “endangers us all.” Below is his full statement:
“Trump has declared war on Iran without exhausting nonviolent alternatives, without a long-term plan, and without any legal authorization. Wasting billions in a destabilizing bloody conflict, even though directed at a despicable regime, he imperils the lives of Americans and innocent civilians throughout the region. Choosing war is not ‘peace through strength;’ it only distracts from his many failures here at home. With war so much easier to get into than to get out of, every member of Congress can vote this week to restrain Trump by adopting a bipartisan war powers resolution.
The fall of Saddam Hussein’s statue in Baghdad was the beginning, not the end of chaos in Iraq that led to 4,000 American deaths and cost $2 trillion. Iran is almost 4 times larger than Iraq with a much stronger military. Iran also has much greater capability for deadly retaliation. Ignoring the lessons from Bush’s war, this unprovoked US/Israeli attack endangers us all. Trump again sends a message to other authoritarians Putin and Xi that war is a tool for the powerful to use whenever they choose.”
Tony Gonzales (R-Texas)
In contrast, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales defended the strikes as necessary to confront terrorism and expressed hope that they create an opportunity for the Iranian people to “embrace freedom.”
“The brutal Iranian regime has refused all attempts at good-faith diplomacy with the United States, while targeting Americans, our allies, and its own citizens. Over my twenty years of military service, I saw firsthand how this poison has funded and encouraged global terrorism without any remorse — and we can longer allow it to go unchecked. Under President Trump’s close watch, the Iranian people have a historic opportunity to reclaim their country and embrace freedom. May God protect our troops, the innocent people of Iran, and continue to bless the United States of America during these necessary operations.”
Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, echoed support for the military action.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the United States is systematically acting against American enemies who have undermined our national security since the Cold War. As the President said again this morning, the Iranian regime has been terrorizing and murdering Americans for 47 years, including innocent civilians, our servicemembers, and American leaders. The Ayatollah has repeatedly tried to assassinate President Trump. Now they are seeking nuclear weapons and the ability to hit the American homeland.
Today’s action will enhance the national security of the United States and our allies. I applaud our Armed Forces, our intelligence community, and President Trump for their capabilities and resolve to eliminate these threats, and I am deeply appreciative that our Israeli allies are fighting alongside the U.S. on behalf of our mutual interests and against our mutual enemies. May God protect our servicemembers.”
John Cornyn (R-Texas)
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn expressed hope that the strikes could signal the end of “these dark days” and voiced support for U.S. and Israeli actions.
“For too long, Iran and its tentacles of terror have destabilized the Middle East and waged an all-out assault on the West and our values. With today’s strikes by U.S. forces led by our Commander-in-Chief, President Trump, there is finally an opening for these dark days to come to an end.
It is my hope that the Iranian people, after years of oppression and being ignored by previous Democrat administrations, will finally be free, and I’m proud of the support being provided by President Trump and the United States.
May God bless the men and women of our armed forces, our Israeli military partners, and all those who stand with us in our mission against the purveyor of terrorism and radical Islam that is the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
Paxton also voiced his support.
“Thank you President Trump for your courageous leadership. For years, Iran has terrorized the world and threatened our nation’s existence, and it’s critical that the evil regime is never able to obtain a nuclear weapon. Praying for our brave men and women in uniform.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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