Steube Introduces Bill to Sanction Iranian-Backed Militia Responsible for American Deaths in Iraq
WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) today introduced the Sanctioning Iranian-Backed Militia Terrorists Act to impose sanctions on the Iranian-backed Iraqi militia Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS).
“Not only does Iran-backed KSS pose a serious threat to peace and stability in the region, but they are also directly responsible for American service member deaths in Iraq,” Steube said. “Their continued attacks on Americans and our strategic interests demands a strong and decisive response from the Biden Administration, but all we have seen from Biden’s top officials so far are dangerous concessions and radical appeasement.”
KSS is an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia which President Joe Biden recently launched airstrikes against in Syria. Formerly under the command of Qassem Soleimani, this militia was responsible for running a network of coordinate Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks, which killed many American troops in the Iraq War. Under Soleimani, KSS was also involved with gross human rights abuses in Syria fighting to support the Assad regime.
KSS has called the United States and Israel legitimate targets that they would attack on the battlefield, prompting the former Trump Administration to begin the process of sanctioning this group on February 14, 2020. His Administration imposed export control-related sanctions on KSS for nonproliferation, but the group has not yet been sanctioned as a Specially Designated National.
Free Beacon’s Adam Kredo posted an article with more information about Steube’s legislation and the larger push by the Republican Study Committee’s (RSC) Foreign Affairs Task Force to develop sensible policy surrounding Iran.
The full text of this legislation can be found here.
Steube has been critical of President Biden’s weak foreign policy stance and heavily criticized the President’s recent decision to lift United Nations (UN) sanctions that banned communist countries like China from selling arms to Iran. Earlier this year, Steube praised President Trump’s efforts to keep Iran in check during the vulnerable presidential transition.
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