Senator Lindsey Graham tore into the way the counterattack in the Middle East is being conducted, arguing that the response is woefully inadequate to create an effective deterrent.
The South Carolina Republican mainly complained about the timing of the attack, assuming that the target had advance warning.
“The idea of reaching hundreds of targets is not important. The only Iranians we kill in Syria or Iraq are idiots who don’t know how to let go. We gave them a week’s notice,” Graham told “Fox News Sunday.”
“If the goal is to deter Iran, you will fail miserably.”
Early estimates on the ground indicated that dozens of Iranian-backed proxies were killed, Reuters reported.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan declined to reveal the exact number of casualties Sunday during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” while the military continues to assess the situation.
So far, the Biden administration has launched two sets of counterstrikes in response to the drone strike that killed three US soldiers at the Tower 22 military base in Jordan last month and injured dozens of others.
Lindsey Graham worries that ‘our national security is on the loose.’ FOX NEWS
On Friday, the military struck more than 85 targets in Syria and Iraq. The administration blamed the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group backed by Iran, for last month’s deadly drone strike.
The act of revenge came just hours after the end of a dignified evacuation ceremony honoring the three soldiers at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
Later on Saturday, US and UK forces blew up 36 Houthi targets in Yemen.
Three US soldiers were killed in a drone strike in Jordan last month. via REUTERS
Sullivan hinted Sunday that “we intend to take additional protests and additional actions to continue to send a clear message.”
“Of course, there’s always going to be an armchair quarterback but we’re confident in the steps we’ve taken so far,” Sullivan told “Meet the Press.”
Between the October 7, 2023 surprise attack in Israel and the drone attack in Jordan, there have been approximately 158 attacks on US and allied forces in the region, according to the Pentagon.
Graham, known for his hawkish views on foreign policy, was not satisfied.
“Our national security is in free fall,” he said. “Look at what happened in Afghanistan in ’21. Look what happened in Europe in 2022, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel. Is not working. We need to change our policies. People are not afraid of us.”
“So if there is [is] another round of strikes is coming, I hope they will really hurt Iran in their pocketbook or kill their leadership because if you don’t do that, nothing changes,” he added.
Joe Biden has vowed to respond to the attack that killed three Americans. Reuters
Graham also briefly ran the fringes in Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has opposed a bipartisan border deal put together by a bipartisan group of Senators.
“I hope Speaker Johnson will look at its content, and we will see if it is worthy of being voted on in the House,” he said. “I just want to let you know that Senator Lankford is doing his best to fix a problem that has been around for a long time.”
President Biden honored the three soldiers who died in Jordan during a dignified evacuation ceremony on Friday. Reuters
The White House has ripped Republicans for their opposition.
“Instead of working in a bipartisan way, House Republicans are playing a political game that does nothing to secure the border, does nothing to help the people of Ukraine, and denies humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians,” The White House responded late Saturday.
“The administration strongly opposes their proposal.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
