SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks at the 2019 South Carolina Democratic Party State Convention on June 22, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
'A Dangerous Escalation': Bernie Sanders, in Iowa, Addresses Iran Crisis
"As we all remember, Trump promised to end endless wars. Tragically, his actions now put us on the path to another war."
Jan 02, 2020
Sen. Bernie Sanders delivered remarks Friday on the ongoing crisis between the U.S. and Iran, which reached new levels of tension after a drone strike President Donald Trump ordered killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani last night.
"This is a dangerous escalation that brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East, which could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars and lead to even more deaths, more conflict, more displacement in that already highly volatile region of the world," said Sanders.
Sanders, a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, unequivocally rejected military action in Iran Thursday evening in the immediate wake of the assassination, making a direct contrast with his primary election rivals.
"Trump promised to end endless wars," Sanders declared in a statement Thursday night, "but this action puts us on the path to another one."
On Friday, the senator emphasized his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent occupation, saying that the lessons of that war should be heeded by U.S. leaders.
"It gives me no pleasure to tell you that at this moment we face a similar crossroads, fraught with danger," said Sanders. "Once again we must worry about unintended consequences, and the impact of unilateral decision-making."
The Vermont senator also touched on the disconnect between Trump's comments from the 2016 campaign, when the then-candidate promised to change U.S. military policy, and today.
"As we all remember, Trump promised to end endless war," Sanders said. "Tragically, his actions now put us on the path to another war. Potentially one that could be even worse than before."
Watch Sanders' speech:
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Sen. Bernie Sanders delivered remarks Friday on the ongoing crisis between the U.S. and Iran, which reached new levels of tension after a drone strike President Donald Trump ordered killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani last night.
"This is a dangerous escalation that brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East, which could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars and lead to even more deaths, more conflict, more displacement in that already highly volatile region of the world," said Sanders.
Sanders, a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, unequivocally rejected military action in Iran Thursday evening in the immediate wake of the assassination, making a direct contrast with his primary election rivals.
"Trump promised to end endless wars," Sanders declared in a statement Thursday night, "but this action puts us on the path to another one."
On Friday, the senator emphasized his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent occupation, saying that the lessons of that war should be heeded by U.S. leaders.
"It gives me no pleasure to tell you that at this moment we face a similar crossroads, fraught with danger," said Sanders. "Once again we must worry about unintended consequences, and the impact of unilateral decision-making."
The Vermont senator also touched on the disconnect between Trump's comments from the 2016 campaign, when the then-candidate promised to change U.S. military policy, and today.
"As we all remember, Trump promised to end endless war," Sanders said. "Tragically, his actions now put us on the path to another war. Potentially one that could be even worse than before."
Watch Sanders' speech:
Sen. Bernie Sanders delivered remarks Friday on the ongoing crisis between the U.S. and Iran, which reached new levels of tension after a drone strike President Donald Trump ordered killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani last night.
"This is a dangerous escalation that brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East, which could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars and lead to even more deaths, more conflict, more displacement in that already highly volatile region of the world," said Sanders.
Sanders, a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, unequivocally rejected military action in Iran Thursday evening in the immediate wake of the assassination, making a direct contrast with his primary election rivals.
"Trump promised to end endless wars," Sanders declared in a statement Thursday night, "but this action puts us on the path to another one."
On Friday, the senator emphasized his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent occupation, saying that the lessons of that war should be heeded by U.S. leaders.
"It gives me no pleasure to tell you that at this moment we face a similar crossroads, fraught with danger," said Sanders. "Once again we must worry about unintended consequences, and the impact of unilateral decision-making."
The Vermont senator also touched on the disconnect between Trump's comments from the 2016 campaign, when the then-candidate promised to change U.S. military policy, and today.
"As we all remember, Trump promised to end endless war," Sanders said. "Tragically, his actions now put us on the path to another war. Potentially one that could be even worse than before."
Watch Sanders' speech:
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy