By State Representative Floyd Griffin (D-Milledgeville)
(789 words)
Another American service member has been killed—this time in northern Iraq.
The service member was killed in action during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian attack drone. Another American was wounded.
This latest death follows an Iranian missile and drone attack against American and partner forces in Jordan that killed two U.S. service members, injured four others and left another American missing. During the subsequent search, American military personnel discovered unidentified remains. The identification process is ongoing.
We pray for these service members and their families. But prayers, condolences and patriotic statements are no longer enough.
As a retired senior Army officer, Vietnam combat veteran and former helicopter pilot, I know that war is not a television program or a political talking point. War is blood, sacrifice, grief and empty chairs at family tables.
Every military order issued in Washington is carried out by someone’s son or daughter, husband or wife, father or mother. When a service member is killed, military representatives must make the terrible walk to a family’s front door.
I have personally knocked on those doors.
I have stood before military families and delivered news that no family should ever have to receive. I have seen the shock, heartbreak and pain that remain long after the military representatives leave. That experience never leaves you.
I also come from a four-generation military family. My father served during World War II. I served 23 years in the United States Army, including combat service in Vietnam. My oldest son retired from the Army, and two of my grandsons have served our country, including one deployed to the Middle East.
This war has already brought that knock to too many American homes.
Early in the conflict, six Army Reserve soldiers were killed by an Iranian drone strike against an American command center in Kuwait. Other service members subsequently died while supporting military operations, including six airmen killed when a KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed over Iraq.
Before the latest attacks, 14 American service members had already died, and more than 400 had been wounded. With the confirmed deaths in Jordan and Iraq, the reported American military death toll has now reached 17. That number could rise again, depending upon the identification of the remains recovered in Jordan.
Behind every number is an American family whose life has been changed forever.
How many more Americans must die before our national leaders provide clear answers?
What is the precise military objective? What constitutes victory? How long are American forces expected to remain in harm’s way? What is the strategy for preventing this conflict from spreading further across the Middle East? Most importantly, what is the plan for ending the war and bringing our service members home?
Iran must be held accountable for attacking American forces. Our nation has both the right and the responsibility to defend its people. But defending America does not require giving any president unlimited authority to wage an open-ended war without clearly defined objectives, meaningful congressional authorization or a responsible exit strategy.
The Constitution gives Congress—not one individual—the solemn responsibility to decide whether this nation goes to war. Congress must not surrender that authority, remain silent or wait until the casualty figures become too great to ignore.
Every member of Congress should be required to go on record. If members believe this war is necessary, they should vote to authorize it and explain its objectives to the American people. If they cannot define the mission, the conditions for victory and the path home, they should not continue asking American families to bear its cost.
Supporting our troops means more than praising their courage after they are killed. It means ensuring that they are never sent into battle without a lawful mission, clearly defined objectives, the resources necessary to succeed and a responsible plan to bring them home.
I have seen war. I understand that military force is sometimes necessary. I also understand that once a war begins, events can move beyond anyone’s ability to control them.
One strike brings retaliation. Retaliation brings escalation. Escalation brings more casualties. More casualties bring additional knocks on doors across America.
The deaths in Jordan and Iraq must be a turning point.
The administration must tell the American people the truth about this war—its cost, its risks, its objectives and its expected duration. Congress must immediately debate and vote on the continued use of American military force against Iran.
Our service members have fulfilled their duty. It is time for our elected leaders to fulfill theirs.
Not one more American life should be placed in jeopardy without a mission the country understands, a strategy capable of succeeding and a plan that ultimately brings our troops home.
Representative Floyd Griffin represents the citizens of District 149, which includes portions of Baldwin, Bibb and Jones counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2024 and currently serves on the Defense & Veterans Affairs, Special Rules and State Planning & Community Affairs committees.
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The views expressed above and information shared are those of the author.