LOS ANGELES.–President Joe Biden, 81, made good on his promise to respond to Iranian-backed militias hitting them with smart bombs and Cruise missiles at various sites in Iraq and Syria, locations where Iran’s a-Quds force’s supply arms to various Iranian-backed rebel groups. Pentagon officials gave no bomb damage assessment [BDA], only saying that the Pentagon struck on Biden’s orders a wide range of targets belonging to Kataib Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq and Syria. Kataib Hezbollah is the group most likely to have attacked Tower 22 forward operating base in Jordan, killing three U.S. soldiers, injuring 40 more with concussive injuries. “This afternoon, at my direction, U.S. military forces struck targets at facilities in Iraq and Syria that the IRGC and affiliated militia use to attack U.S. forces,” Biden, said, giving no precise BDA.
Biden walks a tightrope during an election years raising any expectations for what he can do to retaliate against Iran’s Shiite militias responsible for killing three U.S. soldiers, injuring 40, at Tower 22 in Jordan. “Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing.” Biden said. U.S. attacks started only hours after Biden and other U.S. officials viewed the remains of the three soldiers returned to Dover Air Force Base. Today’s attacks did not hit Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’s al-Ouds force directly but confined itself to Kataib Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed Shiite militias. Iran’s hardcore President Ibarahim Arais said Iran “will not start a war, but if a country, if a cruel force wants to bully us, the Islamic Republc of Iran will gve a strong response,” Raisi said, knowing that any more by Iran could triggers a more direct U.S. response. ‘
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and other conservatives asked Biden to hit Iran directly, knowing that throwaway missile attacks on Iranian-backed militias would probably not stop rebel groups from hitting U.S. targets. Since Oct. 18, the Iranian-backed rebel groups have hit the U.S. over 160 times in Iraq, Syria and the Red Sea. Biden’s actions fall well short of what’s necessary for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to call back the dogs from attacking U.S. targets. “This is a dangerous moment in the Middle East,” said 70-year-old Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. “We will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, or interests and our people. And we will respond when we choose, where we choose and how we chose,” Austin said. Austin’s statements reinforce Biden’s empty promises to deter future attacks on U.S. targets.
Without going after Iran or its Revolutionary Guard assets in Iran, it’s doubtful attacking Iranian-backed militias would make any difference. Iran has been the world’s biggest state sponsor of terrorism, refusing to accept any responsibility for clearly calculated, deliberate and pre-planned. Pentagon officials don’t know whether their attacks have had any deterrent effect on Shitte militias. Ayatollah calls his loose network of terrorists “the axis of resistance,” to signal it’s designed to protect Palestinians or at least appeal to Sunni Arab groups like Palestinians with lingering hatred toward Israel. Iran’s Shiite militias attacked the U.S. in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman before the Israeli-Hamas War and will no doubt continue to attack U.S. targets after the Gaza war ends. Unless Biden goes after the Ayatollah, it’s doubtful today’s attacks have any deterrent value.
Attacking Iran’s various Shiite militias have little or no effect on future attacks by Iranian-backed terror groups. Iran isn’t known as the No. 1 state sponsor of terrorism for nothing. Biden’s handlers are too worried about a repeat of former President Jimmy Carter’s botched Iranian hostage rescue in 1980. Once voters saw Carter’s failure in Tehran, they turned against him on Election Day, handing President Ronald Reagan the biggest Electoral College victory in U.S. history. Biden wants to avoid the indignity of another botched foreign policy mission bound to hurt his chances in the fall. Biden and Austin did the bare minimum, designed to protect the president rather than deter future terrorism. When it comes to deterring future terrorism, refusing to go after Iran directly doesn’t carry the same weight with Ayatollah. Only a direct hit would make a difference.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
