The United States is not taking actions in the Persian Gulf to prepare for military operations, but to "deter Iran from making a grave miscalculation and to retaliate should (Iran ) miscalculate in a dramatic fashion," Sen. Tom Cotton argued Tuesday.
"There can be no doubt that we've seen serious, credible and increased reporting of Iran across the Middle East," the Arkansas senator and veteran of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, told Fox News' "Outnumbered Overtime." The actions include Iran's own forces such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or proxy action Iran supports in places like Iran or Iraq, he added.
"The steps the military has taken on the recommendation of the Department of Defense, moving aircraft carriers to the Persian Gulf or B-52 bombers into the region are steps not to take action against Iran, but to deter military action by Iran," said Cotton.
There are many historical precedents to include against Iran, Cotton continued, as the Middle East nation has been waging a "low-level war" against the United States for 40 years.
"In 1987 and 1988 during the Iran-Iraq war President (Ronald) Reagan reflagged tankers," said Cotton. "The United States Navy destroyed the Iranian vessels and systems Iran was using to attack the tankers."
Now, Iran has an outlaw regime and a hijacked nation-state over the last 10 years, and have gained in power and strength, said Cotton, particularly with the 2015 nuclear deal that returned billions of dollars in cash to the nation, along with economic sanctions relief that "allows them to run wild across the Middle East."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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