Senator Joni Ernst late Friday said allied strikes against Syria make it clear the use of chemical weapons “will not be tolerated.”
Ernst, a Republican, is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. She issued a written statement shortly before 10 o’clock Friday night. Ernst said there is “indisputable” evidence the Syrian regime is guilty of “horrific crimes” against its own people. Ernst called Syrian president Bashar al-Assad a war criminal and she accused Russia and Iran of being “complicit in these chemical weapons attacks on innocent” civilians.
Ernst praised the Trump Administration for “decisive and precise” leadership with our British and French allies.
At midnight, Republican Congressman David Young of Van Meter issued a statement, calling the action against Syrian “strong, swift and targeted.” Young said the U.S. and its allies “cannot tolerate atrocities against the innocent and the use of chemical weapons.”
Congressman Rod Blum of Dubuque sent a “re-tweet: last night, signaling he’s part of a group of Republicans in the U.S. House who will call on President Trump is get authorization from congress before engaging further in Syria. Blum, however, did not issue a written statement on last night’s air strike.
As of 4:30 a.m. Saturday, Senator Chuck Grassley, Republican Congressman Steve King of Kiron and Congressman Dave Loebsack, a Democrat from Iowa City, had not issued statements on the president’s action in Syria.