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Biden Acts Like Trump On Iran
Townhall.com ^ | March 1, 2021 | Michael Busler

Posted on 03/01/2021 2:48:24 PM PST by Kaslin

Instead of turning the other cheek, as the Obama/Biden administration mostly did, President Biden followed the peace through strength philosophy when he struck Iranian-backed militias in Syria. The was in retaliation for an attack on U.S. interests.

A total of  14 rockets were launched on February 15 into Irbil in Iraq, targeting a U.S. facility. The rockets landed near the U.S. military base and ended up killing a civilian contractor. One U.S. service member suffered a concussion, while another five civilian contractors were injured.

This was "a dangerous escalation and a criminal terrorist attack,” said Iraqi President Barham Salih.

The rockets were fired by hostile Iranian-backed militias, meaning that the U.S. needed a proper response. During the Obama/Biden years, the proper response in nearly every instance was to turn the other cheek, even allowing adversaries to cross “red lines” without any U.S. response other than some verbal condemnation.

After eight years of that policy, ISIS had set up a Caliphate which controlled about a third of Syria and 40% of Iraq. They slaughtered thousands of people, some very brutally. Russia had invaded and eventually annexed part of the Ukraine. North Korea was firing missiles over friendly countries. China was expanding militarily and starting to occupy territories.  

Iran was flush with billions of dollars in cash which was used to finance terrorism in the Middle East and they were perhaps a decade away from having nuclear weapons.

Turning the other cheek was an obvious failure.  

The Trump administration followed the peace through strength philosophy.  That essentially says to show potential adversaries that the U.S. is so strong that any confrontation would result in a U.S. victory and a devastating defeat for the opponent. In fact, this philosophy says, the stronger the military becomes, the less likely it will ever be used.

This philosophy required some use of force to demonstrate just how powerful the U.S. is. Force was used to wipe out the entire ISIS caliphate. Arms were sent to the Ukraine so they are in a better position to defend themselves. A powerful bomb was dropped in Syria.

Standing up to China is complicated, but the Trump administration did just that, at least from a position of economic strength.  

North Korea has stopped most of their missile launching. That situation is very complicated and many past presidents had much difficulty reasoning with the North Korea regime.

During the last four years, each time Iran took an offensive action against the US, our military responded, sometimes not immediately but always very profoundly. The Trump Administration also reasoned that the US has much financial strength that can be used as a weapon. The use of sanctions crippled the Iranian economy. That should lead to their willingness to negotiate.

Iran’s recent aggression was meant as a test to see which policy President Biden would follow. If Iran launched a small attack on U.S. interests, would Biden turn the other cheek? Or would Biden continue with the peace through strength philosophy and retaliate?

Iran was hoping Biden would respond with the verbal condemnation and perhaps some warnings about crossing red lines. Had they gotten that, turn the other cheek response, they would have undertaken another more severe attack to see just how far they could push the new president.

This is an important time for the Iran/U.S. relationship. Iran’s economy is in terrible shape with high unemployment and high inflation. They need to have the U.S. imposed sanctions lifted as soon as possible. In fact, they are demanding that before they start negotiations with Biden.

Considering all of these factors, Biden took the correct peace through strength action, by striking at Iranian-backed militias, even if they were in Syria. It shows that the U.S. will not turn the other cheek and that we still intend to use force when appropriate. And we will always defend our interests.

The Pentagon termed the airstrikes “proportionate” and that the action sent an “unambiguous message.” It is reported that the Defense Department presented Biden with a number of military response options. It is said that he chose the least aggressive.  

Politically that was probably his best choice. From a strictly peace-through-strength philosophy, the response should have been more intense. This view says that the response to an aggressive action should be a more aggressive action. While that view carries risk, the weaker nation will usually back down.

Everything considered it is a good thing that President Biden is carrying on with the Trump administration's defense strategy.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Politics/Elections; Syria; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bidenadmin; china; endlesswars; fakenews; iran; iraq; isis; jcpoa; nothingliketrump; redchina; rop; syria; waronterror; yemen

1 posted on 03/01/2021 2:48:24 PM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

That was not Biden. Biden is probably out of the loop.


2 posted on 03/01/2021 2:53:26 PM PST by eclectic (Liberalism is a mental disorder)
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To: Kaslin

Yeah, Biden ‘’acts’’. That’s all it is, an act.


3 posted on 03/01/2021 2:55:40 PM PST by jmacusa (Liberals. Too stupid to be idiots.)
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To: Kaslin

What a joke.

Our enemies in Asia and the Middle East were scared of President Trump.

They are laughing at Commander-in-Thief Biden and are his puppet master.


4 posted on 03/01/2021 2:56:37 PM PST by july4thfreedomfoundation (Bite Me.....The Commander-in-Thief, Commander-in-Cheat, Illegitimate president!)
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To: jmacusa; eclectic

The bombing is to create a false narrative: Biden is tough on Iran. So when Biden’s handlers give away the store to Iran they can fall back on the bombing. Dems have spent the last 4 years wargaming this out. Nothing is not planned here.


5 posted on 03/01/2021 2:58:07 PM PST by lodi90
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To: Kaslin

False.

POTUS Trump would have taken out a strategic target.

Biden fired a 2 million dollar missile at a $10 empty tent.


6 posted on 03/01/2021 3:03:23 PM PST by Bratch
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To: eclectic
That was not Biden. Biden is probably out of the loop

Biden was in Texas but wasn't sure. Certainly out of the loop though. They are guilty of elder abuse as much a was Cuomo.

7 posted on 03/01/2021 3:14:30 PM PST by Don Corleone (leave the gun, take the canolis)
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To: Kaslin

I thought there was an EO from before 1/21, for “transition” purposes, that the prior POTUS retains control of military actions for 60 days post inauguration of the new POTUS...


8 posted on 03/01/2021 3:23:07 PM PST by C210N (You can trust government or you can understand history. But you CANNOT do both.)
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To: Kaslin
Biden Acts Like Trump On Iran

Really? So the Iran nuclear surrender deal isn't back on the table?
9 posted on 03/01/2021 3:28:37 PM PST by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: Kaslin

Biden is an Iranian puppet, just wait and see how bad.

Biden Withdraws Trump’s Restoration of UN Sanctions on IranThe Biden administration is withdrawing former president Donald Trump’s restoration of U.N. sanctions on Iran.
https://www.usnews.com/topics/author/associated-press

They wouldn’t be doing this under Trum admin:

Rouhani Says Iran’s Assets To Be Released By South Korea, Japan, Iraq, Oman

February 24, 2021

https://www.eurasiareview.com/24022021-rouhani-says-irans-assets-to-be-released-by-south-korea-japan-iraq-oman/


10 posted on 03/01/2021 3:51:30 PM PST by jacknhoo ( Luke 12:51; Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation. )
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To: Bratch

Exactly.

Trump took out their top General (Soleimani).

Biden fired a two million dollar missile at an empty warehouse (after the tipped-off militia had removed the military hardware).

Like W said many moons ago (after Clinton bombed an aspirin factory in Sudan) it’s firing a two-million dollar missile to bump off a camel.


11 posted on 03/01/2021 4:16:47 PM PST by RAldrich
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To: eclectic

Practical question: do you think Biden voters care whether Biden or his “handlers” pursue and enact policies espoused by the Democratic party?


12 posted on 03/01/2021 5:18:47 PM PST by Ponce de Leon County (Ad maiorem Dei gloriam )
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To: Kaslin

This has to be one of the most stupid and dishonest articles ever.

1. Biden did not “act”. Biden is suffering from dementia. It is doubtful Biden even understood what was happening.

2. The target was a few buildings in Syria that had nothing to do with the rocket attacks. There were no rockets in these buildings. They were not used to launch the rocket attacks.

3. It is not clear that anyone was killed in the attacks. Even if someone was killed it was a few unknown people who were not involved in planning or organizing the attack.

4. President Trump would have gotten good intelligence and found out who organized the attack. He would then have those people killed as he did in the past.

The idea that the Iranians care about a few small buildings in Syria or even a few lower level militia people in Syria is so stupid as to be laughable. The people who control Biden will never go after the people responsible for the attack like President Trumo did. They will just attack irrelevant buildings and then leak it to the media. And the media will believe their dishonest stories and write about how tough and effective Biden supposedly is.

It is just lies, lies and more lies designed to make Biden look good.


13 posted on 03/01/2021 5:18:53 PM PST by detective
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To: RAldrich

Didn’t some 40+ Hezbollah thugs die?


14 posted on 03/01/2021 5:21:50 PM PST by Ponce de Leon County (Ad maiorem Dei gloriam )
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To: C210N

Where’d you “learn” that?


15 posted on 03/01/2021 5:22:39 PM PST by Ponce de Leon County (Ad maiorem Dei gloriam )
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To: Kaslin

Bombing Syria was idiocy and risks escalation.


16 posted on 03/01/2021 5:25:38 PM PST by bray (Pray for fake President Biden)
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To: Ponce de Leon County

I don’t think they do.


17 posted on 03/01/2021 5:48:49 PM PST by eclectic (Liberalism is a mental disorder)
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To: Ponce de Leon County

Not EO, S.394 from 3/3/20.

Talks about a MOU between incoming and outgoing.


18 posted on 03/01/2021 5:53:42 PM PST by C210N (You can trust government or you can understand history. But you CANNOT do both.)
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