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The Hill: White House spokesman roasted over Obama tweet
Washington,
January 10, 2020
White House spokesman roasted over Obama tweet
By J. Edward Moreno - 1/10/2020 White House spokesman Hogan Gidley came under fire from Democrats on Friday after tweeting that critics of President Trump didn't raise concerns about "imminent attacks" when former President Obama ordered military operations against senior al Qaeda leaders. Trump has come under scrutiny for his justification of last week's drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said intelligence suggested that Soleimani had been plotting a “large-scale” attack that threatened U.S. embassies, but he acknowledged that the administration did not know when or where the attack would occur, prompting more criticism about whether it was imminent. Gidley later tweeted that Democrats were not interested in debating imminent attacks during the Obama administration. “Soleimani was, in fact, planning ‘imminent attacks,’” he tweeted. “While Democrats and the media quibble over its definition, quick point: When Obama killed bin Laden, al-Awlaki and Gaddafi, without Congressional approval, there were NO ‘imminent attacks’ and Democrats did not ask or care.” “Whether you support those actions or not, Congress did authorize, in 2001, the use of military force against al-Qaeda,” tweeted Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.). “Saying they did not is a lie.” |