AHEAD OF XI WHITE HOUSE MEETING, CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN LEADS DEMOCRATIC VETERANS IN DEMANDING TRUMP HOLD BEIJING ACCOUNTABLE FOR PROVIDING KEY INTELLIGENCE TO IRAN RESULTING IN[...]

Ahead of Xi White House Meeting, Congressman Pat Ryan Leads Democratic Veterans in Demanding Trump Hold Beijing Accountable for Providing Key Intelligence to Iran Resulting in U.S. Troop Deaths

On July 17th, an Iranian missile struck a U.S. base in Jordan killing three servicemembers and injuring four others; Wall Street Journal reporting has confirmed that Iran acquired high-resolution satellite imagery of the base - used to carry out the attack - from Chinese entities

Ahead of the September 23rd White House meeting between Trump and Xi, Congressman Ryan is leading his Democratic veteran colleagues in demanding Trump hold Xi accountable for Beijing's role in U.S. troop deaths

Ryan is chair of the Democratic Veterans Caucus, the first West Point graduate to represent the Academy in Congress, and served 2 combat tours in Iraq earning him two Bronze Stars; Ryan also sits on the House Armed Services Committee, where he has become the leading voice of opposition to Trump's war in Iran

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Pat Ryan and 12 fellow Democratic veterans in Congress called on President Trump to publicly condemn China's support for Iranian forces that are killing U.S. troops, ahead of his White House meeting with President Xi Jinping later this month.

On July 17th, an Iranian missile struck a U.S. base in Jordan killing three servicemembers and injuring four others. Recent reporting from the Wall Street Journal confirms that Iran acquired high-resolution satellite imagery of the base from Chinese entities.

Ahead of the September 23rd White House meeting between Trump and Xi, Ryan is leading his Democratic veteran colleagues in demanding Trump hold Xi accountable for Beijing's role in U.S. troop deaths, and that he publicly condemn China's support for IRGC operations.

"22 brave Americans have lost their lives in Trump's war with Iran. We now know that at least three of those deaths directly resulted from President Xi sharing key intelligence about U.S. positions with Iran. Instead of holding China accountable, Trump is rolling out the red carpet," said Congressman Pat Ryan. "I served 27 months in combat in Iraq as an Army Intelligence Officer - I know just how critical and sensitive this information is, and how dangerous it can become in the wrong hands. What's worse is that Trump knows, too, and hasn't done a thing to stop it. He said he thinks Xi has been 'well behaved.' We disagree. From intelligence sharing to assistance with weapons manufacturing, President Trump must send a strong clear message to Beijing that aiding the IRGC to kill U.S. troops will not be tolerated."

Ryan's letter to Trump - sent alongside Democratic veteran colleagues including Salud Carbajal, Gilbert Cisneros, Herbert Conaway, Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, Chrissy Houlahan, Ted Lieu, Seth Moulton, Mike Thompson, Derek Tran, and Eugene Vindman - is included here, and in full below:

Dear President Trump,

Ahead of President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to the White House, we implore you to use your meeting to strongly condemn China's sharing of satellite information that resulted in the deaths of three U.S. servicemembers in Jordan on July 17th, and demand that President Xi cease any support, cooperation, and information sharing with Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

On July 17th, an Iranian ballistic missile struck sleeping quarters at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, killing three American soldiers and wounding four others. The Wall Street Journal has since reported that Iran acquired high-resolution satellite imagery of the base from Chinese entities both before and after the attack, intelligence that U.S. officials say was directly connected to the strike that killed our troops.

Your administration knew this coordination was happening. In May, the State Department sanctioned three China-based firms for supplying Iran with satellite imagery of American and allied military facilities. Senior officials in your administration reportedly spent months warning their Chinese counterparts that companies in their country were arming Iran with the targeting data.

The satellite imagery is only one piece of China's material support to Iran; Chinese firms have supplied key raw materials for the production of Iranian Shaheds, delivered chipmaking equipment to the IRGC, and sold Iran shoulder-launched missile systems, including the weapon that was likely responsible for the downed American F-15E Strike Eagle.

Rather than hold Beijing accountable, you downplayed these findings. When asked aboard Air Force One whether you would raise the issue with President Xi, you told reporters, "I think he's behaved reasonably well." That is a direct and egregious betrayal of our troops.

Our servicemembers are paying the price in blood for this administration's pathetic refusal to confront Beijing. That must end now. Your meeting with President Xi presents an important opportunity to condemn China's role in arming and enabling Iran, and to demand an end to their support.

As veterans, we know what it means to send Americans into harm's way, and we know what is owed to them in return: the truth, and a Commander-in-Chief willing to hold accountable anyone and everyone who might do harm to our troops.

Ryan is chair of the Democratic Veterans Caucus, the first West Point graduate to represent the Academy in Congress, and served 2 combat tours in Iraq earning him two Bronze Stars; Ryan also sits on the House Armed Services Committee, where he has become the leading voice of opposition to Trump's war in Iran.

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