Congressmen and Senators react to strike on Iranian general

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KYMA, KSWT, KECY) - Members of the Desert Southwest's Congressional delegation took to Twitter on Friday to share their reaction to the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.

Democratic Congressman Raul Grijalva, who represents Arizona's 3rd District, was critical of President Donald Trump's decision to target the general. Grijalva believes Congress should have been consulted before the strike.

Democratic Representative Juan Vargas, who represents the Imperial Valley in the House, also objected to the lack of Congressional approval for the military action.

Representative Paul Gosar, a Republican who represents the 4th district didn't comment on the incident directly, but expressed support for both the President and U.S. troops.

Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona disagreed with the positions of many of her fellow Democrats. On Friday she voiced her approval for the decision and affirmed her commitment to protecting the American people.

Republican Senator Martha McSally was the first American woman to fly in combat. McSally served in the United States Air Force for 12-years, and retired as a colonel before pursuing a career in politics. She believes the attack was justified.

Navy combat veteran Mark Kelly is challenging McSally for her Senate seat. Kelly deployed twice to the Arabian Gulf and flew 39 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm. Today he released this statement:

"Soleimani was the architect of a state-sponsored operation that targeted and killed U.S. service members and led to the death of countless civilians. It's good that he's dead. The priority right now must be to ensure the safety of all Americans at home and in the region, particularly our troops, diplomats, and intelligence officers serving abroad.

Recognizing I have not seen the intelligence that went into this decision, I have served in the region during periods of high tension and understand the volatility of this situation and the risks of continued escalations. Our country must have an operational and strategic plan for what comes next, and the American people deserved to know how this administration plans to keep America safe."

- Commander Mark Kelly, U.S. Navy (ret.) - Senatorial Candidate (D)

California's Democratic Senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, have not yet commented.