When You’re Afraid of Escalating and the Enemy Isn’t

Front Page Magazine ^ | 30 Jan, 2024 | Daniel Greenfield

[MtnClimber]

“We do not seek another war. We do not seek to escalate. But we will absolutely do what is required to protect ourselves to continue that mission and to respond appropriately to these attacks…We will respond. We’ll do that on our schedule,” White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby stated.

Iran isn’t afraid of escalating. Its leaders and spokesmen don’t constantly express their fear of escalation. Instead, they escalate.

Their Jihadists seize control of shipping in the Red Sea. They invade Israel and kill over a thousand people. They hit a U.S. base inside Jordan.

The obsessions with “escalation” or “proportionate responses” are foolish. A military action is a tool. The question is what is the goal that this tool is accomplishing?

I can’t think of anything proportionate responses by a stronger nation reacting to aggression accomplish. In some conditions, such a response may maintain a balance of terror, but against an enemy who is constantly escalating, they clearly don’t work.

At best (and this is debatable) they may serve as some sort of brake slowing down the level of enemy escalation. But that’s also senseless.

When faced with escalating attacks, you can choose to withdraw from the arena of action (if possible, and this is also debatable) or if you have the capability, you either defeat the enemy or escalate beyond their ability to respond.

The Biden administration is once again choosing to do none of these things. Instead, it’s going to put on a show of responding in what it considers to be a proportionate way that is in theory meant to dissuade Iran from further attacks, but that clearly is not working.

And will never work.

When the enemy is afraid of escalating and you aren’t, the enemy has a problem. When you’re afraid of escalating and the enemy isn’t, you have a problem.

The goal of a balance of terror is to move from the latter to the former. Instead, Biden has moved us from the former to the latter.

[metesky]

;-)

[Glad2bnuts]

Who is responsible for the hatred of the Jews? 6 billion people in the world, or 16 million Jews? It is just an honest question.

I don’t hate them, but they can live or die by their own efforts like the Muzzies, the invaders from the South into the US or my next door neighbor. THEY ARE NOT MY PROBLEM OR RESPONSIBILITY. At least until they start poking their nose into my home. The US policy seems to be, to make the entire world our problem. They do that by fighting them over there, and bringing those who hate ME into my Country to purposely screw with my life.

[Glad2bnuts]

You are entirely correct. Having bases in places where we are not wanted, is provocation. These trigger points are designed to give us a reason to blow things up and kill people.

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping...

[GOPJ]

worse than you think - worse than just ‘bluffing’... it’s election strategy.

---

Former Obama Aide: Don’t Bomb Iran Oil Fields—Higher Gas Prices Bad For Biden!

Yesterday, we noted a hawkish Joe Scarborough calling for an aggressive response against Iran for the drone attack that killed three US soldiers and killed dozens of others in Jordan.

Jen Palmieri, Obama’s former Communications Director and another Morning Joe regular gave away the game, putting things in bald political terms.

Scarborough asked, “What’s the administration’s problem with going in and taking out some of their oil infrastructure?”

Responded Palmieri: “Higher gas prices.”

Scarborough: “I don’t care. Dead Americans.”

Palmieri: “Anytime you’re doing anything that’s going to mess with oil markets, higher gas prices are — can be an existential threat to a presidency.”

Former Obama Aide: Don’t Bomb Iran Oil Fields—Higher Gas Prices Bad For Biden!

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4213863/posts

Mark Finkelstein

Posted on 1/30/2024, 11:24:15 AM by governsleastgovernsbest

[Taxman]

As a retired Navy Captain, I am personally and professionally embarrassed and appalled EVERY time I see/hear the WOKE Rear Admiral Kirby speak/lie on behalf of the Sloe Joe/The Hoe criminal administration.

Because I am an Officer and a Gentleman, I will reFRain FRom further comments, but you FReepers do get my meaning, do you not?

[Taxman]

We would not be in the mess we are in had we kicked the crap out of the North Koreans!

Or had we kicked the crap out of the North Vietnamese!

Teddy got it right: “Speak softly and carry a big stick!”

Instead we allowed panty waist Communist politicians to take over and bit by bit nibble away at our world dominance to the point that now we are feckless and unwilling to take the lead in FReeing the world FRom the totalitarian LIEberal/Socialist/Marxist/Fascist/Communist/Democrats who are intent on destroying Western Civilization!

We MUST get it right in 2024 and elect Donald J. Trump POTUS 47 and give him a righteous conservtive House and Senate!

LET’S ROLL!

[SunkenCiv]

• Kirby clashes with Al Jazeera reporter over Biden's Middle East actions: 'Let me stop you right there' [01/30/2024]
• World awaits Biden's response to death of U.S. servicemembers in drone strike...White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby says administration "does not want a war" and "does not want to escalate." [01/30/2024]

  ---

• Biden to attend ceremony of 3 soldiers killed in Iran drone strike, after sparking anger [01/30/2024]
• Biden sparks outrage with reports that he may not attend ceremony honoring troops killed in Jordan [01/30/2024]

  ---

• U.S. beefing up air defenses at base in Jordan where 3 soldiers were killed in drone attack [01/30/2024]
• Nikki Haley: US Should Strike and Kill Iranian Leaders Inside Their Country -- "We've Got to Do This Immediately!" [01/30/2024]
• My Take on The Biden Administrations ME Policies [01/30/2024]
• Former Obama Aide: Don't Bomb Iran Oil Fields -- Higher Gas Prices Bad For Biden! [01/30/2024]
• Biden's Iran dilemma deepens with killer drone hit [01/30/2024]
• Biden Contemplates Retaliatory Strikes Against Iran, Raising Concerns and Criticisms [01/30/2024]
• US troops in the Middle East: Soldiers in the line of fire [01/30/2024]
• US 'committed' to deal releasing $6 billion, Iran claims (Obama no.2?) [01/29/2024]
• Iran allegedly hired Canadians to conduct assassinations on U.S. soil, according to indictment [01/30/2024]

  ---

• Pro-Palestinian protesters cause chaos at Kamala Harris' event with Sophia Bush: Demonstrators scuffle with police and interrupt speech on abortion rights in San Jose [01/29/2024]

  ---

• I've Been Identifying Ilhan Omar as 'D-Mogadishu' for Years. It Turns Out I Was Right. [01/30/2024]
• Rep. Cori Bush under DOJ investigation over campaign spending on security, denies wrongdoing [01/30/2024]
• BREAKING: Democratic Rep. Cori Bush Under Criminal Investigation by DOJ, Per Report [01/30/2024]
• Squad's Cori Bush says she's endured 'relentless threats' to her safety but DENIES improper use of $750K taxpayer dollars for private security as she faces DOJ criminal investigation into her finances [01/30/2024]
• Vanity: Squad Member Cori Bush Being Investigated by DOJ [01/30/2024]
• NYC Councilman Yusef Salaam, one of exonerated Central Park 5, facing calls to resign safety committee chairmanship after 'lying' about NYPD traffic stop [01/30/2024]
• Rep. Ilhan Omar faces calls to 'resign in disgrace' over speech in support of Somalia [01/30/2024]
• NYC brothers had 'human sacrifice' hit list for cops, judges with stockpile of bombs, guns: DA [01/29/2024]

  ---

• Not Just Claudine Gay. Harvard's Chief Diversity Officer Plagiarized and Claimed Credit for Husband's Work, Complaint Alleges [01/30/2024]
• Harvard's diversity chief hit with 40 plagiarism accusations in wake of Claudine Gay scandal: report [01/30/2024]
• Laurie Anderson Withdraws from Visiting Professor Post at German University After Pro-Palestine Letter Resurfaces [01/30/2024]
• 19 Years Ago, the LA Times Published a Column on Antisemitism on American Campuses-Today, campuses are primary breeding grounds for hatred of Israel and Jews [01/30/2024]

  ---

• Michal's incredible story: 'I understood it was the terrorist and he shot me' [01/30/2024]
• Netanyahu points to Zechariah 4:6: "'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty" [01/30/2024]
• Israel undercover agents kill 3 Palestinians in West Bank hospital [01/30/2024]
• Video: Disguised as doctors and nurses, Israeli special forces carry out operation inside Jenin's Ibn Sinaa Hospital [01/30/2024]

  ---

• The final solution according to Hamas. [01/29/2024]
• UNRWA exists to help fight the war to eradicate Israel. [01/30/2024]
• The Ha'aretz newspaper refuses to publish an advertisement by the Sovereignty Movement against a Palestinian State. [01/30/2024]
• David Cameron Says UK Considering Recognising Palestinian State [01/30/2024]
  • Moment volunteer police officer tells Christian singer on Oxford Street that she is 'not allowed' to perform 'church songs outside of church grounds' before walking off and sticking her tongue out to the camera [01/29/2024]

  ---

• Ranjith Sreenivasan murder: 15 PFI workers accused of killing BJP leader in front of family get death sentence [01/30/2024]
• Ethnic Cleansing and Crimes Against Humanity-Perpetrated against helpless black Africans in the Sudan by well-armed Arabs [01/30/2024]

[Uncle Miltie]

I guess Israel should have rolled over and played dead.