Critics took aim at President Biden's Middle East policy after three Americans were killed in an attack on a base in Jordan, near the border with Syria.
“Hit Iran now,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a statement after Sunday's attack. “Hit them hard.”
Graham's comment comes after three U.S. service members were killed and 25 more were wounded in a drone strike in northeastern Jordan, near the Syrian border, U.S. Central Command confirmed.
“On January 28, three U.S. service members were killed and 25 wounded by a one-way UAS strike that hit a base in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border. As a matter of respect for the families and in accordance with “DoD policy, service members' identities will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified,” CENTCOM said in a statement. “Updates will be provided as they become available.”
3 US TROOPS KILLED AND 25 INJURED IN ATTACK ON JORDAN BASE NEAR THE BORDER WITH SYRIA
President Joe Biden. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Biden was briefed on the matter by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer, according to the White House, and Biden blamed the attack on “militant groups.” radicals backed by Iran.
“Today, America's heart is heavy. Last night, three American service members were killed – and many wounded – during an unmanned airstrike against our forces stationed in northeastern Jordan, near the Syrian border,” he said. Biden in a statement. “While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iranian-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq.”
But Graham argued that the administration's response to growing threats in the Middle East has not worked to deter Iran.
“When the Biden Administration says 'no,' the Iranians 'do.' The Biden Administration's rhetoric is falling on deaf ears in Iran. Its deterrence policy against Iran has failed miserably. There have been more than 100 attacks against US forces “Iran is undeterred,” Graham said in the statement, adding that he also sends his “condolences to the families of our fallen heroes in Jordan.”
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) at the US Capitol. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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Graham's sentiment was echoed by Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, a former national security adviser in the Trump administration, who said in an appearance on Fox News Live that the administration must “climb what's called the escalation ladder.”
“All of these attacks on American forces in the Middle East. Whether they are Houthis, Hezbollah or anyone else, they are backed by Iran. And this administration has just done it and can't do it anymore. It has to strike a hard blow.” Kellogg said.
Kellogg added that Biden has the opportunity to make a strong statement arguing that both Iranians and their allies around the world will be watching how the United States reacts.
“They're watching our response and they're going to put our response into action. That's why I was very concerned about normalization because it kind of accepted everything,” Kellogg said. “So they knew they could push and they pushed hard. They're going to see what our response is going to be. And if it's not a strong response, we're just going to open ourselves up, we're going to open ourselves up to further aggression from the Iranians or anyone else in the world. region”.
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The criticism comes just two weeks after Biden said he had sent a clear message to Iran to “do nothing.”
“I have already delivered the message to Iran,” the president told reporters. “They know they shouldn't do anything.”
But that view was challenged by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., in the wake of the attack, who argued in a statement that Biden has “emboldened Iran for years by tolerating attacks on our troops, bribing the ayatollahs with billions of dollars.” Dollars”. , and appease them without end.”
A photograph taken during a tour organized by the Jordanian army shows soldiers patrolling along the border with Syria to prevent trafficking, on February 17, 2022. (KHALIL MAZRAAWI/afp/AFP via Getty Images)
“He left our troops as easy targets and now there are three dead and dozens injured, sadly, as I have predicted would happen for months,” Cotton continued. “The only response to these attacks must be devastating military retaliation against Iran's terrorist forces, both in Iran and throughout the Middle East. Anything less will confirm Joe Biden as a coward unworthy of being commander in chief.”
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Meanwhile, Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called for a “major reset” of the administration's Middle East policy.
“Iran's proxies have launched more than 150 attacks on US troops since October, as the Iran-backed Houthis attack global shipping, and Iran-backed Hezbollah and Hamas attack our ally Israel,” McCaul said. “The Biden administration's failed Middle East policy has destroyed our deterrence against adversaries in the Middle East. We need a major reset of our Middle East policy to protect our national security interests and restore deterrence.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
