WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-Wash.), House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Member Jim Himes (D-Conn.) issued the following statement demanding that President Donald Trump announce in tonight’s national address that he is negotiating a ceasefire and diplomatic end to his disastrous war of choice against Iran.
“More than a month has passed since President Trump unilaterally launched his war of choice with Iran and he is no closer to achieving his ill-defined goals. There has been no fundamental change to the Iranian regime to ensure that it will no longer be able to pursue a nuclear program, build ballistic missiles, or support terrorist proxies. He has also failed to provide relief to the long-suffering people of Iran. Not only have none of those goals been achieved, President Trump’s war also has had a profoundly devastating impact on the region and the world.
“The staggering costs include the deaths of 13 U.S. service members, hundreds more injured, and billions of dollars' worth of munitions expended and military equipment damaged or destroyed. Thousands of Iranian civilians have been killed, including over 150 Iranian schoolgirls. And countless individuals have been radicalized against the United States thanks to Trump unleashing mass destruction.
“The U.S. and global economies are significantly affected by the severely reduced flow of essential commodities, including fertilizer, helium, and oil. The military conflict against Iran has engulfed the Middle East in hostilities. After Trump has humiliated, belittled, coerced, and degraded allies and partners since retaking office, some of our oldest and most loyal partners are now refusing to be forced into supporting his war. This should come as no surprise given how Trump has treated them and how he has pursued his war of choice with no strategic advantage achieved or clear plan for how to clean up the mess he created.
“As President Trump prepares to address the world tonight, we hope to hear details on where we go from here, how he will bring this war to an end, and how he will address the broader instability that he has created with his war. We urge the president to immediately negotiate a ceasefire with Iran and work toward finding a diplomatic solution. That is the only plausible way to end his catastrophic war before the costs grow even more cataclysmic and we find ourselves in yet another unwinnable, forever war.”
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