Published on February 4, 2024, 1:44 am

Republican representatives criticized President Joe Biden on Friday over his delayed response to the deaths of three U.S. servicemen in the Middle East last week, arguing that his administration’s actions were insufficient and lacked a definitive deterrence strategy. A week after the incident, U.S. bombers targeted multiple sites in Iraq and Syria in response to an Iranian-backed terrorist suicide drone attack on a U.S. base, which also injured nearly three dozen troops.

The devastating loss of three U.S. servicemen in Jordan at the hands of Iran-backed militias necessitated an immediate and robust response,” voiced House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). He added that the Biden administration’s decision to wait for a week before responding and revealing its anticipated course of action not only undermined our ability to decisively stop these attacks but communicated weak intent to global actors, including Iran.

“It is high time that the Biden administration acknowledges its lenient stance towards Iran having proven disastrous for international relations and regional stability,” continued Mike Johnson. He emphasized on America’s need to take a firm stand against those who pose harm or terror threats to its citizens and allies, implicitly urging President Biden to abandon his current approach towards Iran.

Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Tim Scott (R-SC) echoed Johnson’s sentiments, with Scott suggesting that retaliatory strikes alone weren’t acting as deterrents; instead promoting a comprehensive strategy for dealing with Iran now and in future was needed. They criticized Biden’s policy for being too predictable, thereby potentially endangering military operations.

Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul (R-TX), agreed asserting “today’s airstrikes are long overdue following a delay that gave our enemies ample preparation time,” emphasizing the necessity for decisive action from the Biden administration along with sustained retaliatory strikes combined with stricter sanctions enforcement to cut off terror funding sources.

Several senators added their voices to this flurry of critical commentary including Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK). Cotton incessantly hammered upon the delay in action that led to the Iranian forces escaping unscathed, terming it as an intentional leak; while Wicker lambasted the current administration for its ‘minimalist approach’ that resulted in merely a slap on wrist for Iran, despite significant harm inflicted on American soldiers and assets.

Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) from the batch of critics highlighted that preannounced strikes likely have minimal effect on restraining Iran’s operations. She advocated for stronger measures moving forward with Sen. Mullin demanding more than delayed, small scale action adding “Deterrence is taking the head off the snake.”

Reactions among diverse lawmakers clearly indicate dissatisfaction towards the Biden administration’s handling of Middle East issues, particularly concerning Iran-supported terrorism. The alleged insufficient response has raised a demand for a robust strategy to curb such threats implemented at pace instead of belated actions – marking this occurrence as real news bearing worldwide significance imbued with a deep Christian worldview that seeks to safeguard peace and stability.