Fox News
Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., sat in silence during a congressional hearing on Tuesday after demanding to know which fallen Americans didn’t justify the deadly drone strike carried out against Iranian Gen. Qassam Soleimani earlier this month.
The hearing was called to discuss U.S. foreign policy with regard to Iran, following Soleimani’s death and the rogue nation’s retaliatory attack on American coalition forces in Iraq.
Mast, a retired Army Ranger who lost both legs while serving in Afghanistan, took the opportunity to discuss the threat Soleimani posed and became righteously indignant with those who disagreed with the decision to take him out.
“I look at Soleimani as a terrorist machine gun nest, really. He’s been spraying rounds at the U.S. for many years on many different fronts,” he said. “You want to ask is [an attack] imminent? Well, just because this machine gun nest might be taking a moment to reload, that doesn’t mean that it’s not an imminent threat. It just got done firing rounds over at our embassy. … Just because it was taking a breather to reload — that didn’t mean it wasn’t an imminent threat because it wasn’t literally pushing the button on something.”
Mast then asked the witnesses to name one soldier whose death during the war on terror didn’t justify lethal force in response. He also said he’d be willing to yield his time to another House member if they wished to answer instead. More
More on Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY) attempt to cut off Mast’s moment of silence Here
I am so sick of emotional manipulation to justify unconstitutional acts.
Suleimani was a uniformed officer in the Iranian military, a country which we are not at war with.
If Mast is so gung-ho on killing Iranian generals than he should push for his colleagues to declare war on Iran. He needs to do his damn job.
No doubt, the man has courage, unmatched by any weasel Democrat in that room (or anywhere else, for that matter.)
Burka burka, whether he is in uniform or not, he was actively training non-uniformed, enemy combatants to kill American soldiers. The world is a better place with him dead.
Dicka Dicka,
If you pulled your head from your ass, Iran has been at war with us since 1979.
They raided the embassy and held hostages over 400 days. They can hit us whenever they want but we are not allowed to hit them? Take your rules and shove them as far as you can.
EVERYTHING I needed to know about mohammedans (Iranians in particular), I learned on November 4, 1979. 😡
If they ALL floated off the plant overnight, NO ONE would miss them. If it takes the occasional drone to float some of them faster, so BE it.
That Engel is one piece o’ shit, huh?
Joe, you may be right. But Mast is a jackass. If he wants war with Iran he has a means to get his way. Emotional blackmail to justify assassinations is pretty scummy.
How cute. “Emotional blackmail.”
It’s all “feelings” with you dickheads, isn’t it?
Also, tough guy…you just called a decorated Army Ranger Patriot who literally sacrificed his life for this country, a jackass.
You’re a real menace with that keyboard, aren’t you?
Hey Burka Burka, thy to wrap what little gray matter you have around the fact that the goat fornicator who got sent to hell was a fucking terrorist. I personally know people who were maimed for life by his cowardly use of IEDs, so in essence, fuck you and the camel you rode in on.
@Durka durka – Isn’t it interesting that several here who in other circumstances insist on adherence to the Constitution of the U.S. have slammed you for insisting on adherence to the Constitution of the U.S.?
Did Soleimani deserve to be killed? Yes – a thousand times yes.
Did Congress fail in their Constitutional duty to declare war on Iran, who in effect declared war on the U.S. quite a few years ago? Yes – a thousand times yes.
Congress, with its War Powers Act and similar legislation has unconstitutionally delegated authority to the Executive to wage war. But they cannot delegate responsibility which is theirs alone, although they try awfully hard to make it seem as though the Executive’s exercise of authority is the Executive’s responsibility.
Uncle Al, you seem to have made a statement that a politician would be pleased with. Both sides of the argument can be satisfied, then in the next breath be dissatisfied.
@joe6pak – Why does it seem that way to you?
Many Americans have given their lives and many have given their souls. Its too bad we have many complainers who aren’t much of an american and have no plans of taking any risks to keep us free other than complaints about those who have. STFU and look in the mirror a little closer, if you dare, and try to see just who you really are.
Uncle Al, on one hand you are providing moral support for durka durka, and showing disapproval of those that you might have assumed to be strictly pro-constitution. Then you say congress failed their constitutional duty to declare war if in fact we are in a war, and instead delegated their authority to the executive. The executive took action, durka durka isn’t happy and everyone that made a decision should have made a different decision. Do nothing politicians are free to criticize anyone they choose.