Staff Reports
Anger surged through Republican senators on Sunday following reports of a drone attack on a U.S. base in Jordan that resulted in the deaths of three Americans and over 25 injuries. The attack, which occurred at Tower 22 in northeast Jordan near the Syria border, was attributed by President Joe Biden to Iranian-backed extremists. This revelation sparked calls for a forceful response to address the root cause of these attacks.
Republican Senators Cornyn, Graham, And More Call to Attack Iran After Drone Strike on US Troops https://t.co/rldAVTP3Iu
— Tea Party Patriots (@TPPatriots) January 29, 2024
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina took to X and wrote, “Hit Iran now. Hit them hard.” He expressed his loss of confidence in the Biden administration’s national security team and their ability to deter Iran, emphasizing the urgent need for policy changes to prevent further harm to American service members in the region.
Graham further stated, “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.” He believed that targeting Iranian proxies alone would not be effective in deterring future aggression and called for significant strikes inside Iran to act as both retribution for the loss of American forces and as a deterrent for future attacks.
Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas also condemned Biden’s response to past Iranian actions, stating that the president’s tolerance of attacks on American troops and appeasement of the Iranian regime have emboldened them. Cotton argued that failing to respond to these attacks would brand Biden as a “coward” and asserted that only devastating military retaliation against Iran’s terrorist forces in Iran and across the Middle East would suffice.
Other Republican senators echoed these sentiments. Sen. John Cornyn from Texas posted a succinct message on X, stating “Target Tehran.” Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, a former national security adviser in the Trump administration, emphasized the need for a strong response, warning that the Biden administration’s reluctance to act would leave the U.S. vulnerable to further Iranian aggression.
In contrast to these calls for action, President Biden recently conveyed to Iran that they should refrain from any provocative actions. However, Republican senators and other critics denounced this approach as ineffective and insufficient in deterring future attacks. As tensions escalate, the question of whether attacking Iran is the right move remains a contentious issue.
