Senator Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, said Sunday that the United States should engage in “massive retaliation” against Iran if it continues to target US assets in the Middle East.
In an interview with Fox News Sunday, Cotton said that the US needs to use “overwhelming military force” to send “very clear and unambiguous deterrent signals” to Tehran.
“That means if Iran continues to escalate, they can expect massive retaliation, not just against their forces, but against the oil refineries and they can expect to lose billions of dollars in oil revenue,” Cotton said.
Cotton also called on President Trump to build an international coalition to deter further aggression from Iran by building up the US Navy in the Middle East and reinforcing partnerships with regional allies. He said the intensified presence would make Iran “think twice, three times, four times before they decide to take hostile action against American forces.”
Cotton’s remarks came after a series of attacks on US forces in Iraq by Iran-backed militias. It is yet to be seen what steps the US will take in response.
