U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on September 18, 2019. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)
Sep 19, 2019
In response to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's declaration Wednesday that the bombardment of Saudi oil facilities this past weekend--which the Trump administration has blamed on Iran--constituted an "act of war," Sen. Bernie Sanders said "an attack on Saudi oil is not an attack on America" and vowed Congress will not allow the White House to launch another devastating military conflict in the Middle East.
"If you want a war, come to Congress to make your case," tweeted Sanders, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. "We will not let you drag the American people into another catastrophe in the Middle East."
"Your job is to use diplomacy to resolve conflict--not incite more war," the Vermont senator added.
\u201c.@SecPompeo: An attack on Saudi oil is NOT an attack on America. If you want a war, come to Congress to make your case. We will not let you drag the American people into another catastrophe in the Middle East.\n\nYour job is to use diplomacy to resolve conflict\u2014not incite more war.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1568831111
Pompeo's comments came during a visit Wednesday with Saudi leaders, who have claimed--on the basis of scarce evidence--that the aerial strikes which temporarily paralyzed the kingdom's oil production originated in Iran.
Iran has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks, for which Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility. In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said he does not know who was responsible for the incident, which reportedly did not result in any casualties.
"I cannot have any confidence that they did it because we just heard their statement," said Zarif, referring to the Houthis. "I know that we didn't do it. I know that the Houthis made a statement that they did it."
Zarif went on to warn that, while Iran does not want a conflict, any U.S. or Saudi military strike on Iran would result in "all-out war."
"I make a very serious statement about defending our country. I am making a very serious statement that we don't want to engage in a military confrontation," said Zarif. "But we won't blink to defend our territory."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
In response to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's declaration Wednesday that the bombardment of Saudi oil facilities this past weekend--which the Trump administration has blamed on Iran--constituted an "act of war," Sen. Bernie Sanders said "an attack on Saudi oil is not an attack on America" and vowed Congress will not allow the White House to launch another devastating military conflict in the Middle East.
"If you want a war, come to Congress to make your case," tweeted Sanders, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. "We will not let you drag the American people into another catastrophe in the Middle East."
"Your job is to use diplomacy to resolve conflict--not incite more war," the Vermont senator added.
\u201c.@SecPompeo: An attack on Saudi oil is NOT an attack on America. If you want a war, come to Congress to make your case. We will not let you drag the American people into another catastrophe in the Middle East.\n\nYour job is to use diplomacy to resolve conflict\u2014not incite more war.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1568831111
Pompeo's comments came during a visit Wednesday with Saudi leaders, who have claimed--on the basis of scarce evidence--that the aerial strikes which temporarily paralyzed the kingdom's oil production originated in Iran.
Iran has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks, for which Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility. In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said he does not know who was responsible for the incident, which reportedly did not result in any casualties.
"I cannot have any confidence that they did it because we just heard their statement," said Zarif, referring to the Houthis. "I know that we didn't do it. I know that the Houthis made a statement that they did it."
Zarif went on to warn that, while Iran does not want a conflict, any U.S. or Saudi military strike on Iran would result in "all-out war."
"I make a very serious statement about defending our country. I am making a very serious statement that we don't want to engage in a military confrontation," said Zarif. "But we won't blink to defend our territory."
In response to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's declaration Wednesday that the bombardment of Saudi oil facilities this past weekend--which the Trump administration has blamed on Iran--constituted an "act of war," Sen. Bernie Sanders said "an attack on Saudi oil is not an attack on America" and vowed Congress will not allow the White House to launch another devastating military conflict in the Middle East.
"If you want a war, come to Congress to make your case," tweeted Sanders, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. "We will not let you drag the American people into another catastrophe in the Middle East."
"Your job is to use diplomacy to resolve conflict--not incite more war," the Vermont senator added.
\u201c.@SecPompeo: An attack on Saudi oil is NOT an attack on America. If you want a war, come to Congress to make your case. We will not let you drag the American people into another catastrophe in the Middle East.\n\nYour job is to use diplomacy to resolve conflict\u2014not incite more war.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1568831111
Pompeo's comments came during a visit Wednesday with Saudi leaders, who have claimed--on the basis of scarce evidence--that the aerial strikes which temporarily paralyzed the kingdom's oil production originated in Iran.
Iran has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks, for which Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility. In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said he does not know who was responsible for the incident, which reportedly did not result in any casualties.
"I cannot have any confidence that they did it because we just heard their statement," said Zarif, referring to the Houthis. "I know that we didn't do it. I know that the Houthis made a statement that they did it."
Zarif went on to warn that, while Iran does not want a conflict, any U.S. or Saudi military strike on Iran would result in "all-out war."
"I make a very serious statement about defending our country. I am making a very serious statement that we don't want to engage in a military confrontation," said Zarif. "But we won't blink to defend our territory."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.