Democratic presidential candidates react to Soleimani strike [View all]

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Democratic presidential candidates are expressing concern after a U.S. airstrike in Iraq Thursday night killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds military force and one of the most powerful figures in the Islamic Republic.

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Here is a rundown of candidates' reactions to the airstrike that killed Soleimani.

Joe Biden

"No American will mourn Qassem Soleimani's passing. He deserved to be brought to justice for his crimes against American troops and thousands of innocents throughout the region. He supported terror and sowed chaos. None of that negates the fact that this is a hugely escalatory move in an already dangerous region. The Administration's statement says that its goal is to deter future attacks by Iran, but this action almost certainly will have the opposite effect. President Trump just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox, and he owes the American people an explanation of the strategy and plan to keep safe our troops and embassy personnel, our people and our interests, both here at home and abroad, and our partners throughout the region and beyond. I'm not privy to the intelligence and much remains unknown, but Iran will surely respond. We could be on the brink of a major conflict across the Middle East. I hope the Administration has thought through the second- and third-order consequences of the path they have chosen. But I fear this Administration has not demonstrated at any turn the discipline or long-term vision necessary — and the stakes could not be higher." — Statement, January 2

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Cory Booker

"First, let's be clear. Soleimani has American blood on his hands. He was involved in and ordered attacks that cost American lives and wounded many other soldiers. This is somebody who is a bad person, but we also have to look at the larger strategic situation in that area. We have a president has had a failure in his Iranian policy, who has had no larger strategic plan, and has made that region less stable and less safe." — On MSNBC, January 2

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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democratic-presidential-candidates-react-to-soleimani-strike/ar-BBYAG89?li=BBnb7Kz