Congressional Republicans are calling on the Biden administration to strike Iran directly after a drone attack from one of its proxies killed three United States servicemembers.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), one of the most prominent hawks in the Senate, led the charge, demanding Biden “Hit Iran now. Hit them hard.”
“The Biden Administration can take out all the Iranian proxies they like, but it will not deter Iranian aggression. I am calling on the Biden Administration to strike targets of significance inside Iran, not only as reprisal for the killing of our forces, but as deterrence against future aggression.”
The Biden Administration can take out all the Iranian proxies they like, but it will not deter Iranian aggression. I am calling on the Biden Administration to strike targets of significance inside Iran, not only as reprisal for the killing of our forces, but as deterrence against…
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 28, 2024
“Target Tehran,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK) was more vague in his demands, though urged Biden to strike “Iran’s terrorist forces” outside of and within Iran.
“Joe Biden emboldened Iran for years by tolerating attacks on our troops, bribing the ayatollahs with billions of dollars, and appeasing them to no end,” he said in a statement. “He left our troops as sitting ducks and now three are dead and dozens wounded, sadly as I’ve predicted would happen for months. The only answer to these attacks must be devastating military retaliation against Iran’s terrorist forces, both in Iran and across the Middle East. Anything less will confirm Joe Biden as a coward unworthy of being commander-in-chief.”
While not calling for a strike, in a statement posted on X, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene demanded to know why U.S. forces were in Jordan.
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“Today we are focused on remembering and honoring our fallen heroes, but tomorrow will come quickly and wise decisions must be made,” she wrote. “As a member of congress, I demand to know why our troops are in Jordan? What were our Navy Seals doing when they were killed? What AUMF is the DOD operating under? And many more questions.”
A drone attack hit Tower 22, a U.S. base in Jordan on the border with Syria, CENTCOM announced on Sunday. Aside from the three killed, dozens more service members were wounded. The deaths were the first fatalities among U.S. troops since sustaining attacks from Iranian-backed militias, following the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War.