Anger flowed Sunday from Republican senators after news emerged that a drone attack on a U.S. base in Jordan left three Americans dead and more than 25 wounded.
The attack on the outpost identified as Tower 22 took place Sunday in northeast Jordan near Syria border. President Joe Biden blamed the attack on extremists backed by Iran. That led to calls for a strong response to go to the source of the attacks.
“Hit Iran now. Hit them hard,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina wrote on X.
“Secretary Austin’s efforts to deter aggression against our forces in the region has failed miserably. I’ve long since lost confidence in the Biden national security team to deter Iran. If they do not change their policies now, more American service members in the region will pay the price.”
Hit Iran now. Hit them hard.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 28, 2024
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“The only thing the Iranian regime understands is force. Until they pay a price with their infrastructure and their personnel, the attacks on U.S. troops will continue,” Graham wrote.
“The Biden Administration can take out all the Iranian proxies they like, but it will not deter Iranian aggression. I am calling on the Biden Administration to strike targets of significance inside Iran, not only as reprisal for the killing of our forces, but as deterrence against future aggression.”
Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas wrote in a statement published to X that Biden’s limp response to Iran’s previous conduct needs to end.
My statement following the Iran-backed attacks in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members and injured 25: pic.twitter.com/L8ckks5ch4
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) January 28, 2024
“Joe Biden emboldened Iran for years by tolerating attacks on our troops, bribing the ayatollahs with billions of dollars, and appeasing them to no end. He left our troops as sitting ducks and now three are dead and dozens wounded, sadly as l’ve predicted would happen for months,” Cotton said in the statement.
He said failure to respond would brand Biden a “coward.”
“The only answer to these attacks must be devastating military retaliation against Iran’s terrorist forces, both in Iran and across the Middle East. Anything less will confirm Joe Biden as a coward unworthy of being commander-in-chief,” the statement said.
“On behalf of Arkansans, I extend my deepest condolence to the families of our brave fallen warriors. May God comfort them as He welcomes their loved ones into His embrace. And may God quickly and completely heal their wounded comrades.”
In his post on X, Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas was succinct, writing “Target Tehran.”
Many voices criticized the Biden administration.
Joe Biden has made our troops sitting ducks and he allows our enemies to attack them with impunity. Biden’s weakness is getting our troops killed. RIP to our three fallen service members. pic.twitter.com/cdcK9Q4kMp
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 28, 2024
Last night, 3 US Service Members were k*lled in Jordan by Iran-backed militant groups.
Meanwhile Biden is tweeting about climate change and the WH is tweeting about abortion rights.
This shouldn’t surprise you. We all know how Biden feels about Americans who gave their lives… pic.twitter.com/Aoyu6fy1jo
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 28, 2024
Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, a former national security adviser in the Trump administration, said the U.S. must “go up what’s called the escalation ladder,” according to Fox News.
Is attacking Iran the right move?
“All of these attacks on American forces in the Middle East. Be it Houthis, be it Hezbollah, be it anybody else, they’re Iranian-backed. And this administration has pulled its punches, and it can’t do that anymore. It has to make a hard strike,” Kellogg said.
Kellogg said Iran is now waiting “to see what our response is going to be. And if it is not a strong response, we’re just open up, opening up ourselves to further aggression by the Iranians or anybody else in the region.”
Fox News noted that Biden recently said he had “delivered the message to Iran. They know not to do anything.”
