‘Next 9/11’ Threat from Iraq, warn U.S. officials
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Worthy News)– The Obama Administration came under fire Sunday from Republicans who warned that a debacle in Iraq will give jihadists a staging area for the next 9/11.
On CNN’s State of the Union, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Washington had to act “because Iraq and Syria combined are going to be the staging area for the next 9/11 if we don’t do something about it.”
“The people holding ground in Iraq also hold ground in Syria. Economic instability that comes from a collapsed Iraq will affect gas prices and our economic recovery,” the Senator said.
The Iranians can provide some assets to make sure Baghdad doesn’t fall. We need to coordinate with the Iranians and the Turks need to get in the game and get the Sunni Arabs back into the game, form a new government without [Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al] Maliki.” he added.
With the involvement of Iran in Iraq, this poses yet another security challenge to the Obama Administration and raises the prospects of the United States and Iran fighting on the same side.
Last week, Iran deployed two Revolutionary Guards units to Iraq to protect Baghdad, and the holy Shiite cities of Karbala and Najaf, The Wall Street Journal reported.
On June 12, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, “Clearly, we’ve encouraged them [Iran] in many cases to play a constructive role,” she said. “But I don’t have any other readouts or views from our end to portray here today.”
Analysts point to statements by Graham and Psaki as signs the Obama Administration have quietly encouraged Iranian involvement in Iraq.
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman. Michael McClaul, R-Texas, criticized the administration for its lack of response to “one of the biggest threats” to the United States as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) is overrunning the country.
McCaul criticized President Obama for spending Father’s Day weekend in Florida. He said on This Week, “This is a crisis. It does call for a response, not going to Palm Springs for a fundraiser.”
“The action needs to be now, not two weeks down the road,” McCaul added. “The President should come back to the White House, get a team of experts together.”
“They need us to lead them and we’re not leading right now as a nation,” he said.
“This is the worst of the worst,” he said of ISIS. “If they get back into the United States or western Europe, I see that as the biggest threat today.”