Pennsylvania’s former GOP Senator, Rick Santorum, slammed President Barack Obama on his handling of the Iraq war Sunday, saying on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that the United States had “lost the war in Iraq” because Obama was pulling troops out, leaving Iran as the dominating force in the country.
“To be in a position where, really, the Iranians now have more sway over the Iraqi government than the United States just shows the weakness of our diplomatic effort, the weakness of this president in being able to shape the battlefield, if you will,” Santorum said. “And I think that’s the reason why people are so upset because in many respects we’ve lost control and lost the war in Iraq because we have Iran having broadened its sphere of influence.” (SEE ALSO: Obama warm to scientists, cold to soldiers)
Following Obama’s announcement Friday that all U.S. troops in Iraq would be withdrawn by the end of the year, Santorum released a statement saying that while “it’s always welcome news that our troops our coming home,” he had “deep concerns about the conditions left behind.”
“My long time concern about Iran’s growing influence in Iraq is coming to fruition and that ultimately hurts America and our allies. Iran’s influence and the potential creation of an Iranian puppet state in Iraq will have disastrous consequences in the Middle East and around the globe,” Santorum said. “We must begin to do what this Administration is unwilling to do: address the real problem that is Iran, a growing global threat whose desire is to create a nuclear weapon. Our security and the security of American allies like Israel depend on keeping Iran from developing such weapons.”
Santorum said Obama’s failure to step in against Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad two years ago during that country’s “green revolution” had allowed the Iranians to become more powerful in the region.
“As a result, they have a huge sphere of influence because they know the United States is simply not going to do anything to stop them from going and spreading their venom,” Santorum said.