By: Juan Salinas II
Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN — The U.S. has launched “major combat operations” on targets in Iran, and the all-Republican Nebraska federal delegation expressed support Saturday for the escalation in the Middle East.
Members, in statements after the attack, said they were praying for the U.S. troops and “innocent civilians in Iran.” Some again emphasized that Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon — even though President Donald Trump had touted a U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear sites last year as a success because the sites had been “completely and fully obliterated.”
Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general who served during the Cold War, said he “hates war, but Iran has been waging war against the U.S. since 1979.”
“These attacks include the Beirut Marine Barracks, attempted assassination against the president, Khobar Towers, cyber attacks and 609 murdered servicemen in Iraq,” he said. “The regime just murdered approximately 50,000 of its own people.”
Bacon added, “Military operations come with lots of risks and the results are hard to predict, but we should help the people topple the Ayatollah.”
In a strike with Israel, Trump said the objective is to “defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime” and to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from ever obtaining nuclear weapons.
Trump acknowledged that Americans “may have casualties. That often happens in war. But we’re doing this not for now, we’re doing it for the future.” The Associated Press said the first strikes appeared to target the compound of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. Reuters said the skies above Tehran were filled with smoke.
U.S. Rep Mike Flood, R-Neb., who represents eastern Nebraska’s 1st District, said, “Diplomacy with Iran has been tried time and again to no avail.”
“The time to act on Iran is now, as they’ve never been weaker,” he said. “Iran has funded terrorism around the world, and nuclear weapons would only allow them to spread more chaos and destruction. Our prayers are with the American troops and our allies in the region, some of whom have already faced direct attacks from Iran.”
U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, who represents Nebraska’s largely rural 3rd District, said, “For years, the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies have waged war against the lives of Americans, their own people, and millions of others across the Middle East.”
“Lasting peace can ultimately only be achieved through strength, and President Trump is taking action to achieve that goal,” Smith said. “May God bless and protect our brave servicemen and women as they protect our freedom.”
Nebraska GOP U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer said she is “praying for our brave service members as they carry out this mission to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon.”
“God bless America and the innocent civilians in Iran, who deserve far better than the regime that has long oppressed them,” Fischer said.
Nebraska U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., said, “The Iranian regime has been focused on destroying the United States and our allies.”
“Unlike past presidents, who have been fooled by the Iranians at the negotiating table, President Trump wasn’t,” Ricketts said. “He did not allow the Iranians to draw out the negotiations without offering real concessions.”
Gov. Jim Pillen weighed in, saying, “Pray that God will protect them as they carry out this mission against one of the most notorious and evil terrorist regimes in human history. “
Some Congressional Democrats are calling for a vote on war powers resolutions to have a say on war with Iran, but there is some division within the party about the strikes, according to Axios.