Beto O’Rourke, who is vying for the Democratic Presidential nomination, accused President Donald Trump of taking another step towards war in the Middle East. O’Rourke slammed Trump’s decision to send 1,500 more troops to the region amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States.
In an interview Sunday on CBS’s “Face of the Nation,” O’Rourke claimed:
“President Trump is escalating tensions, is provoking yet another war in the Middle East where we find ourselves already engaged in war in so many countries—in Iraq, in Syria, in Yemen, not too far from there in Libya, and in Afghanistan.”
President Trump has claimed that the deployment of additional troops will be “mostly protective” and part of an effort to deter Iranian threats. Trump downplayed the deployment, noting that only a small number of troops are being sent and that the United States “will see what happens.”
The deployment comes after intelligence reports indicated that Iran could be planning a possible attack on American assets. However, within the Pentagon many are arguing that Iran’s redeployment of assets could also be seen as defensive posturing.
O’Rourke argued that the United States must do “everything within our power” to pursue a peaceful resolution. Trump likewise has expressed hopes that the rising tensions can be solved peacefully.
However, some of the more hawkish elements of the administration, including National Security Adviser John Bolton, are pushing for a more confrontational approach. Likewise, many within Saudi Arabia and Israel have both been pushing for direct confrontation and even regime change in Tehran.
