Sen. James Lankford Does Not Rule Out Supporting Ground Operations In Iran

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., did not norm retired supporting putting U.S. troops connected nan crushed successful Iran, saying successful an question and reply connected NBC News’ "Meet nan Press" that "we've sewage to beryllium capable to cognize what nan objectives are and what they're really carrying out."

Asked by moderator Kristen Welker whether he would support President Donald Trump deploying troops into Iran, Lankford emphasized nan value of being capable to extremity a conflict aft it begins.

"To beryllium very clear connected this, nan worst point that tin hap is to beryllium capable to person this benignant of conflict commencement and to not extremity it, to time off it undone. We've sewage to beryllium capable to decorativeness this," he said, going connected to constituent to Iran's history of supporting attacks against Americans.

Asked later to corroborate that he was not ruling retired supporting U.S. troops successful Iran, Lankford said it "depends connected what boots we're putting connected nan ground."

"If this is typical forces to beryllium capable to transportation retired a circumstantial cognition — get in, get retired — that's very different than agelong opinionated occupation," he said.

Thousands of further U.S. troops are arriving successful nan region, according to a societal media post from U.S. Central Command. NBC News reported past week that Trump approved nan deployment of much than 1,000 soldiers from nan 82nd Airborne Division to nan Middle East.

NBC News has previously reported that Trump is weighing options for putting U.S. troops connected nan ground, including options aimed astatine securing nan Strait of Hormuz, retrieving Iran's highly enriched uranium, aliases seizing Iranian lipid accommodation to deprive nan authorities of finances and extract concessions.

Earlier this month, Trump said he was "not putting troops anywhere," but added that if he were, he would not show reporters.

Asked Sunday whether Trump needed legislature support to deploy U.S. troops into Iran, Lankford hedged, saying it was "contingent" connected really nan troops were used.

"If we had a agelong opinionated warfare that's happening, spell backmost again to what happened successful Iraq aliases successful Afghanistan, yes," Lankford said. "If this is to protect Americans and to beryllium capable to make judge that we're successful location for a play and we're stopping and getting out, that's very, very different. So again, this is each contingent."

Senate Republicans person antecedently rejected aggregate warfare powers resolutions aimed astatine limiting Trump's expertise to motorboat further subject action against Iran without legislature approval.

Meanwhile, Iran's parliament speaker said Sunday that nan state is fresh to antagonistic a U.S. crushed attack, "waiting for American soldiers to participate connected nan crushed truthful they tin group them ablaze and punish their location partners forever."