Democratic Rep. Adam Smith warns of unintended consequences in Iran
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., wants the U.S. to remain on the sidelines of Israel’s war with Iran. The ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee told Morning Edition that there are too many unknowns that could put American troops in harm’s way.
Smith believes that Iran is likely pursuing a nuclear weapon, saying it’s not a secret that the Islamic regime has been “massively increasing their enrichment capacity.”
However, he warns of unintended consequences of a military strike.
“If we get involved in this war, Iran will start hitting U.S. troops and then it becomes uedictable, which is why I do not think that we should do this,” he said. There are roughly 40,000 U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East, according to the Pentagon.
President Donald Trump is reportedly considering striking one of Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. The Fordo Fuel Enrichment Plant is an underground facility and considered vital to Iran’s nuclear program. Publicly, the president remains uncommitted.
While the administration is weighing all its options, members of Congress are split on how to move forward.
Smith’s comments align with those of many other top Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Senator Chris Coons, D-Conn. Ocasio-Cortez joined more than a dozen other Democrats by signing on to a bipartisan resolution that prohibits any military involvement in Iran without Congress’ authorization. The resolution was introduced by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Cali.
At this moment, Massie remains the only Republican who signed on to the resolution.
“A war between Israel and Iran may be good for [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s domestic politics, but it will likely be disastrous for both the security of Israel, the United States, and the rest of the region,” Coons said in a statement.
Based on their public statements, many lawmakers agree with the president that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon, but their opinions diverge when it comes to U.S. military involvement.
“By law, the president must consult Congress and seek authorization if he is considering taking the country to war. He owes Congress and the American people a strategy for U.S. engagement in the region,” five senior Democratic senators said in a joint statement.
Several Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., supports a potential military strike, with or without congressional approval.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.