(WHTM) – U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) says he supports President Donald Trump’s decision to attack Iran, saying Iran is the “most significant state sponsor of terror in the world,” which has killed thousands of Americans.
The president has drawn criticism from Democrats over the attack, which took out Iran’s Supreme Leader and several military leaders. McCormick, who was deployed to Iraq during the Gulf War, says he believes “it’s very clear that Iran poses a unique threat to America and to America’s allies” and that the military objectives laid out by the president are clear.
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“So what the president said is we’re going to take out the missiles, we’re gonna take out the launchers, we’re gonna take out the manufacturing, we’re gonna take out the navy, and give us confidence that a nuclear weapon is not something the Iranians can build.”
“Imagine a scenario,” McCormick said, “where this ballistic missile force grows, that the Iranians go back to their commitment to a nuclear weapon, and a year from now, two years from now, three years from now, they actually achieve a nuclear weapon and their ballistic missile defenses, which as significant as they are now, we’re seeing they’ve attacked 16 different countries or something like that, those missile capabilities are much more significant. So I think what the president determined was this was the moment that we could best protect America’s interests from a regime that clearly was out to kill Americans and kill our allies.”
McCormick says he foresees regime change occurring in Iran, but says he is wary of America reengaging in nation-building and doesn’t see a “long-term entanglement where we commit American troops on the ground” like what happened in Iraq.
“That’s not in our future, and I think the president’s made that very clear.”
McCormick says the United States is “not going to fix Iran’s future, the Iranian people are going to have to step up and do that.”
McCormick also acknowledged that in 2002, he was supportive of removing Saddam Hussein following the Sep. 11 terror attacks; however, “20 years later, it’s clear that was an enormous mistake.”
Former ambassador conflicted over Iran war
The full interview with McCormick can be viewed below or on the abc27 News+ app.
State Rep. Paul Freil (D-Chester) and Marcus Hite, Executive Director of the PA Association of Public Cyber Charter Schools, also join the show to discuss cyber charter school reform proposals
Every week, This Week in Pennsylvania gives a comprehensive look at the week’s biggest news events in Pennsylvania, provided by the abc27 News team, along with the latest updates on local stories.
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