Iran and its terrorist organizations and militia proxies have spent days preparing and refueling for a U.S. retaliatory strike that began Friday, prompting criticism that the Biden administration was acting too slowly.
Three U.S. soldiers were killed and dozens more were injured in an airstrike carried out on a military base in Jordan on Sunday by the Iraqi Islamic Resistance Movement, an alliance of several Iranian-backed extremist and terrorist organizations. The Biden administration launched its first round of retaliatory strikes against targets in Iraq and Syria on Friday, nearly a week later, but some critics say it is part of a larger effort to minimize escalation of the conflict. As such, they feel the delay was delayed to give Iran and its proxies time to prepare. middle east. (Related article: How Iranian-backed militia drones breached U.S. defenses and killed three U.S. service members)
Simone Reeden, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Middle East affairs, told the Daily Caller News Foundation that she believes the delay in response was intentional because the Biden administration did not want to hit Iran and its allies too harshly. he said.The administration has been vocal He says he does not want war with Iran or wider conflict in the Middle East.
“I think this is a characteristic of the appeasement policy that this administration has adopted since 2021. [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC)] Mr. Reeden called on the DCNF to ensure that local Iranian-backed militias leave and take back as much as they can. “This is a deliberate decision on the part of the Biden administration.”
“While we have to act for domestic political reasons, we want to avoid causing actual harm. This weakness increases the risk to our forces and allies in the region and could lead to further tragedies.” I’m concerned that it could be connected,” Reeden told DCNF.
John Kirby said it's clear the administration doesn't want war with Iran
James Rosen: “Isn't it obvious that we're already at war with Iran?”
Kirby then refused to rule out the possibility of a direct strike in Iran
This reaction is everywhere pic.twitter.com/35XdKd4Ylk
— Dylan Housman (@Dylan_Housman) January 29, 2024
“It appears that Iran wants to minimize casualties by giving as much notice as humanely possible,” said Gabriel Noronha, executive director of Polaris National Security and a former State Department official. Said on friday.
U.S. retaliatory strikes hit approximately 85 target facilities in Iraq and Syria where Iranian-backed militias operated, including weapons depots, control centers, and headquarters locations. according to to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Friday's strike is expected to be one of several as part of previous strikes. called “Multilateral Response” by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Thursday.
“How many IRGC and IRGC-QF commanders will the US kill, and how senior are they? Or will they all be killed by Dodge after the Biden administration telegraphed these attacks for days? Did it get off?” Mark Dubowitz, CEO, Foundation for Defense of Democracies; Said on friday.
Some lawmakers criticized the Biden administration's retaliatory strikes, saying they came too late and with too much publicity in advance, undermining efforts to stop Iran and its proxies' continued aggression in the Middle East. Shared. Critics of the Biden administration's retaliatory response to the attacks on U.S. forces also question why the U.S. does not directly target Iran.
“To restore effective deterrence, President Biden must hit Iran where it hurts,” said Nebraska Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts. Said on Friday, amid reports that the Biden administration would not attack the country. according to On CNN. “Weak telegraphed responses will not solve the problem. What we need is leadership, not appeasement.”
“The administration's attack on Iranian proxies tonight came too late, after they had telegraphed how they would attack,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas. Said on friday. “The ayatollahs will only fear another devastating attack on Iranian forces.”
Cotton expressed particular concern because several U.S. officials had leaked details of the airstrike plans, including duration and location, to the media. include CBS News and ABC News.
“The regime's deliberate leaks about what we would attack enabled Iran's leaders to flee,” Cotton said. Said Friday.
Several Iranian-backed militant groups have already “evacuated many of their headquarters in Iraq and on the Syrian border and moved weapons to new locations” to avoid attacks, one U.S. official said. . Said NBC News on Friday. Kataib Hezbollah, part of Iraq's Islamic resistance group and backed by Iran, which the Pentagon suspects was behind Sunday's drone attack, suspended military operations ahead of the U.S. response.
Esmail Qaani, a Brigadier General of the Revolutionary Guards and commander of the Quds Force, visited Iraq earlier this week and met with leaders of some militant groups to discuss preparedness options, the official told NBC. Told. Mr. Ghani reportedly moved his troops underground and encouraged them “not to poke their heads over the parapet and provide targets to the United States.”
A retired U.S. colonel told NBC that Iranian-backed militants may continue to operate underground, assessing intelligence and preparing for further attacks on U.S. forces. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi this week warned of a “strong reaction” if the US tries to “bully” Iran. according to to Reuters.
Asked Thursday why there had not yet been a retaliatory response to the attack, White House National Security Council Press Secretary John Kirby said the United States would take retaliatory measures. activity It will be a “layered approach” and warns that “the first thing you see won't be the last.”
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin defended At a press conference Thursday, he criticized the U.S.'s slow response and vowed to “further disable” Iranian-allied militant groups across the Middle East.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
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