Congressional Republicans are displeased with President Joe Biden’s “weak” and “uncertain” response to the ongoing situation in Syria.
As previously reported, Iranian forces killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six others during a drone strike Thursday. In response, President Biden ordered retaliatory airstrikes. The strikes reportedly killed eight Iranians.
Following the president’s retaliatory strikes, Iranian-backed proxy forces carried out their own retaliatory strikes on Friday, launching rockets against a U.S. base in Syria. Since then, no additional counter-strikes have been ordered.
Leading the charge against the president’s current strategy in Syria is Sen. Lindsey Graham. In a 13-tweet Twitter thread posted Friday afternoon, he framed the president’s actions thus far as “weak” and “uncertain.”
“President Biden owes it to those Americans fighting radical Islam to respond vigorously to any attack on them and their position by Iranian proxies. The weak, uncertain response to the initial attack obviously did not work,” he wrote.
He added that there’s “only one path available” when the U.S. is attacked, and that’s for the U.S. to “respond swiftly and vigorously with overwhelming, punishing force.”
View the whole thread below:
President Biden and his national security team are letting America down.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 24, 2023
I fear General Milley and Secretary of Defense Austin are not proving to be up to the task of providing the deterrence America needs to remain safe.
However, the ultimate blame for the failing foreign policy and military situation we find ourselves in lies with President Biden.— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 24, 2023
President Biden owes it to those Americans fighting radical Islam to respond vigorously to any attack on them and their position by Iranian proxies. The weak, uncertain response to the initial attack obviously did not work.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 24, 2023
America has only one path available when attacked – respond swiftly and vigorously with overwhelming, punishing force designed to make enemies wary of engaging with the United States.
Being strong is the best deterrence against future attacks.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 24, 2023
Iran is a radical Islamic theocracy who openly calls for the destruction of Israel, constantly refers to the United States as the ‘Great Satan’ and at every turn attempts to purify Islam in their own image.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 24, 2023
Their goal is clear – they want to drive the United States out of the Middle East so they can dominate the region. Allowing Iran to have more influence in the Middle East is not in America’s interest and is suicidal for Israel.
We simply cannot allow them to kill Americans.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 24, 2023
The limited number of American forces that are in Syria and Iraq are there to protect our country against the reemergence of radical Islam. Left unchecked, these forces would regenerate and once again launch attacks in the United States and against our allies around the world.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 24, 2023
President Obama and Vice President Biden made the mistake of pulling all American troops out of Iraq. It led to the rise of ISIS, establishment of a Caliphate in Raqqa and spawned attacks by radical jihadists in both Europe and the United States. We must not repeat that mistake
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 24, 2023
Finally, the U.S. Senate this week sent a terrible signal when it comes to Iran and the fight against radical Islam.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 24, 2023
We saw efforts to repeal the Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF) in Iraq without any effort to replace it with one focused on using force against Iranian backed militias.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 24, 2023
Congress must be clear in telling the Iranian proxies that you attack American forces at your own peril. Instead, the actions taking place in the Senate – to our enemies at least – are the sounds of retreat.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 24, 2023
Spoke in the Senate Wednesday about the threat posed by Shiite militias:
“American soldiers, are being attacked routinely by Shiite militias….. I am asking the Congress to tell the Shiite militias: you come after our troops, we’re coming after you. “https://t.co/r7LJxdspAW
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 24, 2023
Coming in next is Sen. Tom Cotton. In a tweet of his own, the Arkansas senator accused the Biden administration of having ignored “dozens of earlier Iranian attacks.”
He further claimed that had the administration dealt with the prior attacks, then the current tragedy (one dead contractor) could have been averted.
His claim appears to be legitimate.
“Attacks by Iranian proxies against bases housing U.S. military personnel in Iraq and Syria are increasing, U.S. officials say, and Washington has not responded with force since 2021,” NBC News reported last summer.
“There were seven attacks in May, as many attacks that month as February, March and April combined, and there have been a total of 29 since October without a kinetic U.S. response,” the establishment outlet added.
View Cotton’s tweet below:
Indefensible that American life must be lost before Joe Biden acts. Had he responded in force to dozens of earlier Iranian attacks, this tragedy could have been prevented.
@SecDef needs to explain why he isn’t doing more to deter Iran. https://t.co/JjvbE9zHWJ
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) March 24, 2023
Meanwhile, Rep. Mike Waltz responded to the current crisis by posting a tweet containing a graph showing how Iranian-backed attacks have “skyrocketed” ever since Biden assumed office in early 2021.
Under the Trump administration, he tweeted, “deterrence was restored.” But then Biden entered the picture and “rolled out the appeasement carpet.”
View the congressman’s tweets below:
Iran-backed attacks skyrocketed after Biden took office. You can’t spin this against the Trump Administration. https://t.co/J0V4GUcMzM pic.twitter.com/igsLhNtBu8
— Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) March 24, 2023
Prior to the Soleimani strike, we had major attacks on international shipping & Aramco, a downed U.S drone, an orchestrated storming of our embassy in Baghdad, and an American killed.
Deterrence was restored until Biden rolled out the appeasement carpet.
— Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) March 24, 2023
Other Republicans have also responded.
“Biden’s backwards logic on Iran has real consequences. The attack by the IRGC in Syria that took the life of a US contractor & injured 6 other Americans is just the latest tragedy. The UK must disregard the Biden Admin & designate the IRGC a FTO,” Rep. Doug Lamborn tweeted.
“Yesterday, @SecYellen admitted during my questioning that the Biden administration’s weakened sanctions on Iran are NOT changing the regime’s behavior. After yesterday’s attack and loss of American life in Syria, that’s not a surprise,” Rep. Juan Ciscomani added.
Yesterday, @SecYellen admitted during my questioning that the Biden administration’s weakened sanctions on Iran are NOT changing the regime’s behavior. After yesterday’s attack and loss of American life in Syria, that’s not a surprise.
WATCH ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/CoayXhTj4l
— Congressman Juan Ciscomani (@RepCiscomani) March 24, 2023
“Biden can’t be this weak after Iran-sponsored attacks wounded several of our soldiers and killed an American contractor,” Rep. Darrell Issa opined in a tweet.
Biden can’t be this weak after Iran-sponsored attacks wounded several of our soldiers and killed an American contractor.
— Rep. Darrell Issa (@repdarrellissa) March 25, 2023
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V. Saxena is a staff writer for BizPac Review with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University.
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