Beto echoes Iranian propaganda, says Trump 'provoking another war' with troop increase

The escalating tensions between Iran and the United States, not to mention Iran's sponsorship of terror, their proxies committing violence against Israel, and their threats against American personnel, have brought out not bipartisan solidarity in our politics but back-biting and partisan rhetoric.

In addition to undermining American foreign policy position through secretive meetings with a hostile foreign power, Democrats running for office are weighing in on who is to blame for the situation. And golly, guess who?

Among those Dems opining, failed senate candidate and current back-of-the-pack Democrat candidate for 2020 Beto O'Rourke weighed in. In an interview for Sunday's 'Face the Nation' on CBS, portions of which were released on Saturday, O'Rourke accused President Trump of "provoking" war.

In so doing, he echoes (parrots?) Iran Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, the very official with whom Sen. Dianne Feinstein had that tête-à-tête.

Look at what Zarif said recently:

"Increased U.S. presence in our region is extremely dangerous and a threat against international peace and security," he said, as reported by Iran's state news. In an interview with CNN, Zarif said that the United State is "playing a dangerous game" and that there could be "painful consequences."

Now to what Beto O'Rourke said.

"President Trump is escalating tensions, is provoking yet another war in the Middle East where we find ourselves already engaged in war in so many countries -- in Iraq, in Syria, in Yemen, not too far from there in Libya, and in Afghanistan," said O'Rourke. "We don't need another war. We need to find a way to work with allies and partners, and in some cases, with our enemies."

Watch, via Face the Nation:

When Margaret Brennan asked O'Rourke whether he believed the intelligence reports that there is a threat against Americans from Iran, O'Rourke said he's "suspicious" of it.

"I'm suspicious of a national security team that has so often called for war. You have someone in [John] Bolton who has publicly said he wants regime change in Iran," said O'Rourke to CBS.

Earlier in the week, on CNN, Zarif made a remarkably similar argument.

"There are people who, for a very long time, advocated the United States to be engaged in wars. Ambassador Bolton is certainly one of them." he said. "The saying in Washington is that there is no war Ambassador Bolton doesn't like."

In that CNN interview, Zarif offered a lot of red meat to progressive Democrats. Besides bashing Netanyahu and Bolton, he made fun of Trump, he praised Obama's Iran Deal, he extolled the U.N. ... he even snarked about the electoral college. Straight from the choir book.

Sounds like some Democrats were definitely in the pews.