Choo Mi Ae Criticizes U.S. Airstrikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities
"No Imminent Threat, Yet a Direct Attack"
"Direct Involvement in Israel-Iran War"
Choo Mi Ae, a member of the National Assembly's Defense Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the U.S. Trump administration's airstrike on Iranian nuclear facilities, saying, "They have crossed the Rubicon." On June 22, Choo wrote on her social networking service (SNS), "President Trump has promoted a message to the world seeking a 'thumbs up,'" and added, "Directly attacking Iran, which did not attack the United States, is a preemptive strike that lacks legitimacy and is not permitted under international law."
Choo stated, "Under international law, the legality of preemptive self-defense requires a clear and present danger before the use of military force." She explained, "There was testimony from Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) of the United States, that it would take Iran three years to acquire nuclear weapons. Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who has regularly monitored Iran's nuclear facilities, also testified that 'there is no evidence that Iran has enriched uranium for weapons.'
Choo continued, "Despite the strong pro-Israel sentiment in American political and economic circles, Director Gabbard stated, 'Iran's nuclear program is not a clear and imminent threat.'" She added, "However, President Trump openly rebuked Director Gabbard in the media, saying, 'I do not trust Director Gabbard.' Choo praised Gabbard's conviction and courage as an intelligence chief who speaks her mind. On March 25 (local time), at a U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Director Gabbard said, 'The intelligence community assesses that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons.' However, President Trump refuted this, saying it was 'wrong.'
However, afterward, Director Gabbard changed her statement, saying, "My opinion is the same as President Trump's." Through SNS, Gabbard stated, "Dishonest media are intentionally distorting my testimony and spreading fake news to incite division," and added, "The United States has information that Iran could produce nuclear weapons within weeks or months if assembly is completed."
Choo also posted an article titled "The Steering Wheel of America Without Checks and Balances." She commented, "The U.S. bombing of Iran is direct involvement in the Israel-Iran war," and added, "Nevertheless, they are intentionally downplaying it as a 'physical clash' rather than calling it a war." Choo questioned, "Is the United States trying to avoid international responsibility for the war and postwar reparations?"
On June 21 (local time), the United States directly bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities, including the underground Fordow site. That night at 10 p.m., President Trump held an emergency press conference and announced, "We have carried out precision airstrikes on three key nuclear facilities of the Iranian regime: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The facilities have been completely and thoroughly destroyed." This is the first time the United States has directly struck Iran.
The Trump administration has emphasized that the reason for striking Iran's nuclear facilities was not to pursue regime change, but to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. However, on June 22, President Trump wrote on SNS, "While it may not be politically correct to use the term 'regime change,' if the current Iranian regime cannot make Iran great again, then why wouldn't there be regime change?" U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a Fox News interview that day, "What we want right now is to ensure that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons," and insisted, "If Iran continues to seek to become a nuclear-armed state, I believe it will put the regime in jeopardy."
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