Why the heck did Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) go on Fox News and argue that we should start a war with Iran because of what it supposedly did to Saudi Arabia? Fortunately, Coons thought better of his remarks and walked them back later, but not far enough.
Coons’ appearance on Fox & Friends this morning seemed to be geared toward persuading Donald Trump to work with him on bipartisan gun safety legislation. Coons looked into the camera several times as he urged Trump to “genuinely lead our nation” with that legislation. While he was at it, Coons also took the opportunity to criticize presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke’s “not helpful” comment that “Hell, yes,” he plans a mandatory buyback program for assault weapons.
But first, when he almost surely knew the Fan in Chief would be watching, Coons helped Trump's Fox Friends promote an unnecessary war that could easily turn into World War III.
Coons, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee seemed pretty certain that Iran, not the Iranian-backed Houthis who claimed responsibility, were the ones who struck Saudi Oil facilities. Coons all but asked Trump to start a war with Iran. “Iran is one of the most dangerous state-sponsors of terrorism,” Coons said. “This may well be the thing that calls for military action against Iran.”
Cohost Brian Kilmeade, who said during the same show, “I think this cannot go without retribution,” actually pushed back a little. He asked how Coons would answer those who say we have our own oil and this is not our problem.
COONS: I’d say that one of the things that has kept America safe and secure for seven decades is a global network of alliances. Obviously, our alliance with the Saudis has been badly strained by the murder of Khashoggi and by some of the other things that MBS, the crown prince, has done but this is a moment where Iran is really pushing our resolve and is really testing to see whether we’re actually going to stand up. And if there’s attacks by Iran on our close allies like Jordan, Israel or the Saudis, we need to take seriously taking action against them.
Those were welcome words for Kilmeade. He said it’s “great to know” that both Republicans and Democrats “would be behind that action if it should take place and the evidence would be as overwhelming as it seems.”
Our friend Karoli, at Crooks and Liars, has a good explanation of why Coons was wrong on the substance:
First, because the United States is not required to respond to one country's aggression against another in a declared war that has been going on for years. See Senator Chris Murphy's thread here for the backstory on Yemen and Saudi Arabia and why we should not, under any circumstances, be sucked into an absurd war with Iran over it. And secondly, because a war with Iran would be a disastrous beginning to World War III and no Democrat anywhere should be uttering the words "military action" with regard to Iran.
And no Democrat anywhere should be uttering such words on Fox News, Trump's most trusted advisers.
MoveOn came out with a withering response to Coons:
“Senator Coons going on Fox and giving ammunition to Trump administration war hawks who are trying to push the U.S. into a costly, avoidable war with Iran is shameful and beyond dangerous. His comments this morning, within a context of inconclusive intelligence and innuendo, were reckless. Senators need to be putting brakes on the march to war, not fueling it—and need to be demanding the U.S. not take its marching orders from the Saudi regime.”
MoveOn further said its members in Delaware would be reaching out to Coons.
Apparently, that had an effect. Coons issued a statement walking back much of his war mongering but not all (my emphases added):
“Following the recent attacks on oil fields in Saudi Arabia, I am concerned by President Trump’s statement that he is ‘waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed.’ If President Trump wants to take any military action in response to the attacks, he needs to brief Congress on the relevant intelligence and make the case to Congress and the American people that a military response is necessary and justified.
“Under our Constitution, the President cannot wage war unless there is an imminent threat to the United States or Americans abroad. Military force should be the last resort. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have had an important partnership for decades, but Saudi Arabia is not a treaty ally, and the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the conduct of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen have strained our relationship.
“Still, Iran is the world’s top state sponsor of terrorism and continues to destabilize the Middle East in places like Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. U.S. military power helps to deter Iran from taking additional military action through its proxies. If intelligence proves Iranian responsibility for these recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, we should weigh our options carefully and consult with our regional and European allies and partners, which will only strengthen our response.”
Watch Coons’ sound eager for a new war below, from the September 16, 2019 Fox & Friends.