OMAHA, Neb (KMTV) — On Wednesday Senators Chuck Grassley and Pete Ricketts told local reporters they believe the U.S. – Israel strikes against Iran are necessary for national security.
WATCH KATRINA'S STORY BELOW
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Senators Pete Ricketts and Chuck Grassley told reporters today (Wednesday) that President Trump is keeping the country safe by continuing strikes on Iran....
Twelve days into war with Iran President Trump says he wants it to end "soon."
Considering service members from Iowa and Nebraska were killed, I asked both senators, what they think the U.S. has accomplished if the Iranian regime remains.
Katrina Markel: "....If the IRGC is still intact, they just appointed a new Ayatollah, what does victory look like that actually justifies that loss of life?"
Ricketts: "The purpose of the campaign was to degrade Iran's Missile capabilities and their nuclear capabilities ... the administration will then end the operation when they believe that they've accomplished those goals."
Grassley: "I think there's not a single one of us would want to see any serviceman lose loss of life ... Why, obviously it is the right thing to do to eliminate that threat. That all the nuclear capability and all the missiles can do to peace around the world."
Katrina Markel: "Do you see a way out of the conflict in Iran without further increasing fuel prices or fertilizer prices?"
Ricketts repeated that he believes the regime was close to developing a nuclear weapon: "...When the administration feels they've degraded those abilities enough, they will bring those hostilities to a close."
Grassley: "It looks like we're taking all the precautions that's necessary to make sure the Strait is not shut down."
There are conflicting reports about exactly how close Iran was to developing a nuclear weapon, though very little debate that the authoritarian regime was oppressive to its own people and a state sponsor or terrorism.
Grassley repeated his view that lifting tariffs on ag products would also help farmers who are dealing with high inputs costs.
