At the beginning of the week, it was announced that troops would be deployed to the Middle East.
Specifically, 1,000 more troops would be deployed as tension between the United States and Iran continues to heighten.
Florida freshman rep. Michael Waltz (R) was a guest on America’s Newsroom to discuss the recent deployment and to address the threats in the region.
He commented that “the troops are being requested by the Commander in the field in response to what the Iranians are doing, [which is] lashing out.”
Waltz added that “what the Iranians are trying to do is to create leverage.”
The news of deployments also comes after there was an attack on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, which was two oil tankers being attacked in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Defense Department made the announcement on Monday, saying that the deployments are for defensive purposes.
In addition, the Department also informed that Iran threatened to breach the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the controversial Iran Deal, and that they exceeded limits on uranium stockpiles.
Moreover, Waltz also responded to comment from Democratic Congresswoman rep. Ilhan Omar, who blamed President Trump for the heightened tension between the U.S. and Iran. She and other Democrats argue that the tension is due to the United States leaving the Iran deal last year.
In response, Waltz expressed that “that ignores the fact that Iran is supporting terrorism all over the region – in Syria, in Iraq and in Yemen. It’s developing a missile program in violation of U.S. sanctions and it’s holding Americans hostage as we speak.”
As well, the Florida Congressman detailed that “the notion that Iran was behaving responsibly before the President withdrew from the Iran deal is patently false. That ignores facts and ignores history, from the hostages to the Beirut bombing in the 1980s, to killing over 500 American soldiers during the Iraq war.”
