Mark Geist, a retired Marine and Benghazi annex team member, believes Iran deserved the full force of the U.S. military in response to Qasem Soleimani's actions.
Retired United States Marine and Benghazi annex team member Mark Geist has come out in strong support of the U.S. strike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. In a recent interview, Geist argued that Iran deserved the full force of the U.S. military due to Soleimani's involvement in the deaths of Americans.
"We lost four Americans in Benghazi, including Ambassador Chris Stevens," Geist said. "And I believe that Soleimani was directly responsible for that attack."
Soleimani Strike Was Justified, Says Benghazi Survivor Mark Geist
Geist's comments echo those of other Benghazi survivors, who have consistently blamed Iran for the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya. In 2017, Ahmed Abu Khatallah, a Libyan militia leader, was convicted of providing material support to terrorists and destroying U.S. property in connection with the Benghazi attack.
Geist believes that Khatallah's sentence of 28 years in prison is not severe enough. He argues that Soleimani, as the mastermind behind the attack, should have been held accountable for his actions.
Soleimani Strike Was Justified, Says Benghazi Survivor Mark Geist
"He was a terrorist who killed Americans," Geist said. "He deserved to be taken out."
Geist's views are consistent with those of the Trump administration, which has taken a hard line against Iran. The Trump administration has imposed economic sanctions on Iran and has designated the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.
Soleimani Strike Was Justified, Says Benghazi Survivor Mark Geist
Some critics of the Trump administration's Iran policy have argued that the strike on Soleimani was reckless and could lead to increased tensions in the Middle East. However, Geist believes that the strike was justified and necessary to deter further attacks on Americans.
"We cannot allow Iran to continue to kill Americans with impunity," Geist said. "The strike on Soleimani was a necessary step to protect our interests and our people."
Soleimani Strike Was Justified, Says Benghazi Survivor Mark Geist
Geist's comments come as the U.S. and Iran continue to trade threats and insults. It is unclear what the next steps will be in the conflict between the two countries, but Geist's words serve as a reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of holding those responsible for violence accountable.
