On Tuesday’s broadcast of NewsNation’s “On Balance,” Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) stated that while we still need a total assessment on the impact of the American strikes in Iran, “The world is safer” due to them and having a ceasefire now helps the push to strengthen and expand the Abraham Accords.
Schneider said that with the strike, “The jury’s still out. I think — I have said very clearly — and, to your point earlier, if you read my statement on Saturday night, the first thing I did was praise the military. They ran a flawless attack on Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Unquestionably, they executed as well as we could have hoped for and they came home safely. And we’re grateful for that.”
He continued, “The world is safer because of what they did, but it’s — still, we need to get the battleground assessment. We’ve got to get the details.”
Schneider did criticize Trump for saying Israel didn’t know what it was doing, and said Israel’s strikes on Iran have been effective and targeted. And, earlier, Israel “couldn’t wait any longer, it had to take action to stop Iran.”
Host Leland Vittert then said, “I think Trump felt as though his ceasefire was in jeopardy, and, therefore, he got angry.”
Schneider responded, “I think he felt he was — he’d made a promise that the war was over. Iran violated the ceasefire. Israel had to respond. The ceasefire seems to be holding now. I hope it holds. I hope it opens a door. As you mentioned, I chair the Abraham Accords Caucus, I was in Saudi Arabia, in Bahrain, in the UAE, looking for ways to expand — to strengthen and expand towards –.”
Vittert then cut in to say, “And this helps.”
Schneider responded, “100% helps.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
