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Northland lawmakers react to Iranian general’s death

January 3, 2020

DULUTH, MN -- Northland lawmakers are reacting to the news that an airstrike conducted by American forces killed Iran's top general Qassem Soleimani.

The deaths Soleimani and associates drew immediate cries for revenge from Tehran and a chorus of appeals from other countries for reduced tensions between Iran and the United States.

Congressman Pete Stauber, a republican representing Minnesota's 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Represenatives, said in a statement Friday evening that "Soleimani was a leading sponsor of terrorism, responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands, including hundreds of patriotic American service members."

"The President's decisive action has brought justice to Soleimani and our world is safer without this deadly terrorist," Stauber continued. "We as a country are grateful to the heroic men and women in uniform who helped carry out this critical mission. As we head into the new year, our nation and allies must stand unified and resolute in the fight against terrorism. Freedom must always triumph over terror."

Several U.S. Senators representing Minnesota and Wisconsin also shared their reactions in statements.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) shared the following on Twitter:

"… Our immediate focus needs to be on ensuring all necessary security measures are taken to protect U.S. military and diplomatic personnel in Iraq and throughout the region…" Klobuchar wrote in part.

U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) questioned if President Donald Trump's administration has considered any possible consequences of the strike.

"… I'm gravely concerned that the administration doesn't have a long-term strategy to stop further escalation. They should be consulting with Congress on something of this consequence and as far as we know, that didn't happen here.

"Let's be clear: this is a very dangerous time and my chief concern right now is for the safety of Americans in Iraq, the Middle East, and around the world. We need to get a full understanding of what happened and Congress will need to be full engaged on how we move forward," Smith shared on Facebook.

Meanwhile, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-MN) also posted a statement on Facebook.

"Iran, the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism, has been escalating its malign actions for years," Johnson wrote. "It is time for Iran to de-escalate and end its terrorist acts and use of proxies. Americans will continue to support the brave men and women who have volunteered to keep us safe."

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) did not have a statement immediately available.