Lawmakers weigh on Saudi Arabia oil site attack

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Lawmakers are weighing in following the attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities. While both sides seem in agreement as to who is responsible, many are not on the same page on how to move forward.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed in Saudi Arabia Wednesday to discuss a coordinated response following Saturdays’ attacks on two of the country’s oil facilities.

Pompeo told reporters covering his trip the attacks are an act of war by Iran.

Back in Washington, lawmakers are calling for a strong response.

“The worst is yet to come if we do not act decisively,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said.

While Iran rejects responsibility for the attack Florida Sen. Rick Scott says it is time to put pressure on the country and wouldn’t rule out military action.

“If they’re going to attack our allies, if they’re going to put American men and women at risk then we got to defend them,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said.

President Trump has walked back his initial ‘locked and loaded’ response from earlier this week, now taking a more ‘wait and see’ approach.

Rudy deLeon, with the Center for American Progress, agrees it is fairly certain Iran is to blame. But as a former Deputy Secretary of Defense, deLeon says it’s important for the US to be strategic.

“Military force doesn’t really serve long term problems. And you can’t ignore the fact that the Iranians have moved in such a hostile way. There will have to be some kind of response both in terms of getting our allies to come with us and again the administration been all over the map,” deLeon said.

All of this happening as President Trump names Robert O’Brien the new National Security Advisor.