St. Mary's U.S. lawmakers mostly support attack on Iran

Federal lawmakers representing the St. Mary Parish area were generally supportive of President Donald Trump’s decision to bomb Iran.
The exception was the lone Democrat among them, U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, who represents Assumption Parish.
Here is a sampling of their reaction:
•U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Lafayette. 
“I was a freshman at LSU in 1979 when disgusting subhumans attacked American sovereign soil in Tehran, overwhelming a handful of our Marines, seizing our embassy and taking American hostages.   
“We’ve been looking forward to [Saturday] for 47 years. The perfect alignment of leaders at the top in America and Israel with real courage and unwavering will to do what has to be done.  
“In the south, we give fair warning before we crack a jaw. I would say 46 years, 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days is fair warning.
•U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Baton Rouge 
“We don’t know how many people he’s hung in the last six months. We don’t know how many people he’s tortured. I’ve seen estimates as high as 50,000. So that’s what this business with Iran is all about.
 “We’re not trying to be the world’s policeman. We’re trying to stop the Ayatollah from being the world’s policeman. He’s getting a lot of support from President Xi Jinping in China and Vladimir Putin in Russia and Kim Jong Un in North Korea. So that’s where we find ourselves, trying to stop this war.
 “And to the Ayatollah, I would say, ‘Ayatollah, you’re entitled to believe what you want. You can hate me. You can believe that. I know you hate me and what I stand for. Do you know how I sleep at night knowing that you hate me? With the fan on. That’s your right. But you can’t act on that belief.’
 “Put down the nuclear weapons. Put down the nuclear enrichment. Stop exporting terrorism to Hamas and Hezbollah. End your missile program. Stop killing and torturing your people. That’s all we want. And he’s doing that as we speak. He’s at war. We’re trying to stop it.”
•U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge.
“I think we have to recognize, if you will, these are death throes of a dying regime,” Cassidy said in an interview. “It is intensely provocative but think about what the Ayatollahs want. Their country — their support in the country is falling apart.
“They would like nothing better than to unite the Iranian people behind their old trope that the Great Satan is coming after us. If we keep that pressure upon them and they lose the support of the Iranian people, they will be disposed of, and that’s a great way to win a war.”
•Carter, D-New Orleans.
“I am deeply concerned about the attack [Saturday]. Let me be clear: the Iranian regime has long been a destabilizing force in the Middle East, and its support for militant proxies and armed groups across the region poses a real threat to our allies, our interests, and global security.
“At the same time, any use of military force by the United States demands serious consideration and a clear, coordinated plan. The American people deserve to understand the objectives, the risks, and the path forward.
“History has shown that conflicts involving Iran rarely stay contained. With partners and proxy forces operating throughout the region, the potential for escalation is real, and the consequences could reach far beyond a single strike.
“My focus is protecting American lives, supporting the brave men and women who serve our country, and ensuring that Congress fulfills its proper constitutional role when matters of war and peace are on the table.”