On video: Ambassador Erdan at the UN: "Iranian terrorism will reach all of you" 01.23.24/without
The deadly attack on American forces in Jordan, in which three soldiers were killed and dozens more were injured, increases the political pressure on President Joe Biden to deliver a direct blow to Iran.
Biden balked at this move for fear of a wider war, less than ten months before the election while trailing in the polls.
Biden's response options range between attacking Iranian forces in the region or even inside Iran, or opting for a more cautious retaliatory strike against the Tehran-backed Shiite militias.
They have attacked American forces more than 150 times in Iraq, Syria and off the coast of Yemen since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, but the attack in Jordan was the first in which American soldiers were killed.
Biden promised that the United States would respond and exact a price from those responsible, but did not elaborate beyond that.
Republicans said the attack stemmed from the Democratic president's weakness and urged him to restore American deterrence.
Their expected candidate in the election, former President Donald Trump, who is expected to meet for a rematch with Biden in November, said that the attacks are the "consequences of the weakness and surrender" of the president.
According to the Republicans, the American soldiers in the region have become stationary targets, waiting for the day when a drone or a missile penetrates the defense systems - as happened yesterday.
"He has left our soldiers as stationary targets," said Republican Senator Tom Cotton. "The only answer to these attacks must be A devastating military revenge operation against Iran's terrorist forces, inside Iran and throughout the Middle East."
Want to avoid a regional war.
Biden/Reuters
The Biden administration claims that it is doing everything it can to protect American forces deployed around the world, but even in the president's Democratic Party, the voices criticizing his policies in the region are increasing.
Many believe that he must increase the pressure on Israel to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza, the condition set by the pro-Iranian militias to end their attacks.
"As we're seeing now, it's getting out of control, it's starting to become a regional war, and unfortunately the United States and our forces are in danger," said Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who repeated her calls for a ceasefire.
Party member Seth Moulton, who served as a Marine for four years in Iraq, attacked Republican calls for direct war against Iran.
According to him, "deterrence is difficult, war is worse."
"To the chicken hawks calling for war with Iran, you are playing into the hands of the enemy - and I would like to see you send your sons and daughters to fight," Moulton said.
"We must have an effective strategic response on our terms and in our time."
The militias managed to penetrate the defense systems.
"Tower 22" outpost in Jordan/Reuters
Iran, which tries to distance itself from the decision-making of the militias, this morning denied involvement in the attack on the outpost in Jordan, known as "Tower 22".
Its Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that these accusations are "baseless" and claimed that the "resistance groups" do not receive instructions from the Islamic Republic.
According to him, the continuation of the American attacks in Syria and Iraq, as well as the war in Gaza, will only increase the cycle of instability in the region.
Experts warn that any attack against Iranian forces inside Iran could force Tehran to respond strongly, escalating the situation in a way that could drag the United States into a major war in the Middle East.
An American security official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the Reuters news agency that it is unclear what the benefit of strikes inside Iran is.
"If and only if the United States is prepared for an all-out war, what will attacking Iran bring us?", wondered the official.
The United States has already attacked targets of the Shia militias since the beginning of the war, and even killed a senior member of their ranks.
However, this did not deter them from continuing the attacks against her forces.
The Republicans mention Trump's response to similar attacks by the militias in late 2019, which ended in the killing of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in January 2020, after which Tehran responded only in a symbolic and limited way.
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