Conservatives on Wednesday criticized Rep. Ilhan Omar after she was seen laughing while her Democratic colleague, Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, spoke about the deaths of American soldiers in the Iraq War.
“I’m very glad to say that I was part of the 132 and also the vote for Barbara Lee’s amendment, but I think that the point of that is that that is the same war that we’re dealing with today,” Lee said in a video surfaced by the RNC Research Twitter account. “We never solved any problems with AUMF, we left four thousand plus, maybe even forty four hundred dead, and over sixty thousand who came back injured in some form and the war never ended.”
Omar could be seen in the background smiling and smirking as Jackson-Lee spoke.
GOP Rapid Response Director Steve Guest tweeted that Omar’s actions were “Absolutely disgusting.”
“I’m so uncomfortable watching this. What is wrong with these people?” tweeted Erielle Davidson, a staff writer for the Federalist.
Jackson-Lee made the remarks during a press conference held by the Congressional Progressive Caucus following a classified briefing with Trump administration officials.
Congressional Democrats slammed President Donald Trump’s ordering of a drone strike, which resulted in the death of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani last week.
“If Congress had listened to the Progressive Caucus, this killing would never have happened,” Rep. Ro Khanna said on Wednesday.
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Omar also spoke at the press conference, and said discussions about escalating conflict between Iran and the U.S. were affecting her mental state.
“I feel ill a little bit, because of everything that is taking place and I think every time I hear of conversations around war, I find myself being stricken with PTSD,” she said. “And I find peace knowing that I serve with great advocates for peace and people who have shown courage against war.”
Asking for a friend, is this how people with #PTSD act? @IlhanMN says she is suffering from #PTSD every time she hears conversations around war.
Her colleague then talks about American soldiers killed in WAR, and watch how #Omar acts. pic.twitter.com/bZMCM6m2H9
— Chris Berg (@chrisbergPOVNOW) January 8, 2020
Earlier in the day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House would vote on a resolution intended to limit Trump’s military actions regarding Iran, stating that concerns about the administration’s strategy and decisions were not addressed during the classified briefing.
The resolution will likely sail through the House of Representatives, where the Democrats hold the majority, but its passage in the Senate, controlled by Trump’s fellow Republicans, is less assured.
“Today, to honor our duty to keep the American people safe, the House will move forward with a War Powers Resolution to limit the President’s military actions regarding Iran,” Pelosi said in a statement.
*see full story by Pluralist