Sen. Mullin, Congressman Cole Return From Middle East, Stress Importance Of U.S. Leadership

With so much media focused on the Nov. 5 election, the ongoing fighting in the Middle East is, for the moment, being overshadowed. Oklahoma's congressional delegation is making sure, however, that it's not forgotten.

Two members of the state's delegation just returned from separate trips to the Middle East: Senator Markwayne Mullin, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Congressman Tom Cole, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

"Well, obviously, this is an extraordinarily important part of the world for us," Rep. Cole (R-OK4) said in a telephone interview Friday.

In the middle of last month, Cole led a bipartisan group of lawmakers, mostly appropriators like himself, on a visit with leaders of Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

"This was a chance for us to get a close-up look and see what things we can do to be helpful," Cole explained, "and we've got a number of things in our bill that, frankly, please the Jordanians and the Egyptians a great deal."

Specifically, Cole is referring to the House bill that would provide FY 2025 appropriations for foreign aid. He says, as currently written, it includes additional humanitarian aid for Jordan and would remove some restrictions on Egypt's use of U.S. military aid.

Cole says the trip was a sobering reminder for him and his colleagues of why American leadership in the Middle East is so important, and believes it reassured our allies to see Republicans and Democrats traveling and working together.

"It was a good chance for us to show that, even in the middle of an election cycle, even in the time that we have our own political disputes here at home," Cole said, "that the country can still speak with one voice."

Sen. Mullin has been campaigning steadily with the Trump-Vance ticket but squeezed in a trip to the Middle East last week. His staff says he went because he wants to help shore up America's strategic international partnerships at this most important time for the region.

"In the absence of strong leadership from the United States under Kamala Harris and Joe Biden," Mullin (R-OK) said in a statement, "it’s essential that our strategic partners know we have their back."

The Biden administration continues to provide Israel with broad financial and military support, while pressuring all parties to agree to a cease-fire.

Cole says the U.S. support for Israel has been significant and needs to continue. He seemed hopeful that Israeli hostages would soon come home and said he believes the end of hostilities could be near.

"I hope we are," said Cole, "I think we are. I think the Israeli response to Iran has been measured, pointed, but measured … We need to bring this to a conclusion as rapidly as we can just, for humanitarian concerns and for the good of Israel."