Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said Sunday two attacks on commercial oil tankers by Iran warrant “retaliatory strikes.”
In an interview on CBS News’ “Face The Nation,” the Senate hawk and former military veteran said the United States cannot back off its “campaign of maximum pressure.”
“These unprovoked attacks warrant retaliatory strikes,” Cotton declared.
“Going back to President [George] Washington and all the way to President [Donald] Trump, the fastest way to get the fire and fury of the military unleashed on you is interfering with the open navigation in the sea and air, and this is what Iran is doing.”
Cotton said the pressure has to be maintained on Iran because the country is already struggling from U.S. sanctions.
“They are struggling with with the sanctions that we have placed on them,” he said. “The status quo is unacceptable and they are hoping they can drive up the price of oil and therefore benefit from it since their oil exports declined so much, and also get more pressure put on the United States to back off our campaign of maximum pressure. That is not going happen.
“If anything we need to increase that pressure and I think this unprovoked attack on commercial shipping warrants retaliatory military strikes,” he argued.
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