politics
Senator Lindsey Graham has harshly criticized the way retaliatory attacks have been carried out in the Middle East, arguing that the response has been woefully inadequate to establish an effective deterrent.
Republicans in South Carolina were particularly upset about the timing of the attack, arguing that there was too much advance warning of the targets.
“This idea of hitting hundreds of targets is not important. The only Iranians we've killed in Syria and Iraq are idiots who don't get their way. We give them a week's notice. “I did,” Graham told “Fox News Sunday.”
“If the goal is to deter Iran, it will fail miserably.”
Initial estimates on the ground indicate that dozens of Iranian-backed proxy members were killed, according to Reuters.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan declined to give an exact number of casualties Sunday during an appearance on NBC's “Meet the Press” as the military continues to assess the situation.
The Biden administration has so far carried out two sets of retaliatory strikes in response to a drone strike that killed three U.S. soldiers and injured dozens at the Tower 22 military base in Jordan last month.
On Friday, the military struck more than 85 targets in Syria and Iraq.The administration blamed the Islamic Resistance Movement of Iraq, an Iranian-backed umbrella organization, for last month's deadly drone attack.
The retaliation came just hours after a dignified transfer ceremony honoring the three soldiers at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
And on Saturday, US and British forces bombed 36 Houthi targets in Yemen.
Sullivan predicted Sunday that he would take “additional strikes and additional actions to continue sending a clear message.”
“Obviously, there's always going to be armchair quarterbacks, but we're confident in the progress we've made so far,” Sullivan said on “Meet the Press.”
The Pentagon said there were approximately 158 attacks on U.S. and allied forces in the region between the Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack in Israel and the drone strike in Jordan.
Mr. Graham, known for his hawkish views on foreign policy, was not satisfied.
“Our national security is rapidly collapsing,” he said. “Look at what happened in Afghanistan in 2021. Look at what happened in Europe in 2022, 2023, Hamas attacks Israel. It’s not working. We need to change. People are not afraid of us.”
“So, if there is [is] “There will be another attack and I hope they really damage Iran or kill the leaders, because otherwise nothing will change,” he added.
Mr. Graham also briefly participated in border issues in Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) opposed the bipartisan border agreement put together by a bipartisan group of senators.
“I look forward to Speaker Johnson reviewing it and determining whether it merits a vote in the House,” he said. “I just want to say that Sen. Lankford is doing his best to solve long-standing problems.”
The White House overrode Republican opposition.
“Instead of working in a bipartisan manner, House Republicans are playing politics that does nothing to secure the border or help the Ukrainian people and deny humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians.” The White House fired back late Saturday..
“The administration strongly opposes their proposal.”
