No Surprise: the U.S. (Grudgingly) Ramps Up Its Presence in the Middle East
[guest post by JVW]
Vice-President Kamala Harris wrongly claimed in her debate with former President Donald Trump that no U.S. troops were currently in active combat zones. Even her friendliest fact-checkers couldn’t let that whopper slide, despite the failure of the clearly biased moderators and her equally obtuse opponent to call out the falsehood in real time. While not as obnoxious as the earlier claim from her boss that no U.S. troops had been killed during his administration, the comment does represent some wishful thinking from a White House which believes it has been a much more forceful steward of U.S. foreign policy interests than can be reasonably determined from their performance over the last 44 months.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the same White House has bowed to reality and sheepishly announced that more troops are going to be sent into one of the hottest of combat zones:
The U.S. will send additional troops to the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah approaches all-out war, the Pentagon said on Monday.
The troops will be accompanied by a dozen war ships and fighter-jet squadrons, the Pentagon said. The announcement came just hours after the IDF carried out a widespread bombing campaign against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, opening what appears to be a new phase of the long-running conflict.
The Biden/Harris Administration has grossly overestimated their ability to influence events in Gaza. They have fallen into the hopeless trap of proposing a ridiculously naïve truce, tailored more to the delicate political sensibilities among Democrat Party voters in the U.S. than to peace and security in the affected reason, only to have one side or the other reject their proposals. Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah this past week seems to emphatically confirm that the IDF and Mossad intend to expand their battle and take on Hamas’s nefarious allies in the region. No doubt this is giving the Biden/Harris/Walz political operatives a great deal of angina, but Tel Aviv is pointedly delivering the message that they are pursuing something more important than the approbation of American progressives.
We are coming up on one year since the atrocious Hamas attacks of October 7, and of course the anniversary coincides with the final month of what promises to be a very bitter and nasty election in the United States. Democrats have tried to gingerly straddle the line between their pro-Israel and anti-Zionist camps by declaring their support for “Israel’s right to defend itself,” but it seems that nobody in our incurious and complacent media has bothered to ask if that right includes proactively attacking terror groups inside of the enemy’s borders. My guess is that this question would sharply divide the Democrat caucus, and is thus something that this administration does not want to be called upon to answer. But perhaps it is time that they be required to spell it out, even though it doesn’t fit into the current preferred motif of “joy” and “vibes.”
– JVW
The Democrats’ obsessive efforts at rapprochement with Iran continues to make things worse, especially for Israel. Maybe some enterprising journalist ought to ask the Harris/Walz campaign about this, and how they see our relationship with the Mullahs evolving in light of recent events. Because we certainly aren’t going to get either candidate on the Dem ticket to directly address that question.
JVW (d17bc5) — 9/23/2024 @ 12:47 pmBad move to send more troops; just more targets for the Mullahs. Let the Israelis and Hezbollah duke it out.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/23/2024 @ 12:59 pmI doubt the US will send an overwhelming force (more than 10,000) to serve as a effective deterrent. The question should be why.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/23/2024 @ 1:02 pmI hope our troops stay out at sea. If there’s some actionable intelligence, drones or missiles or Spec Ops can fit the bill.
Kamala keeps pandering to the Omar-Tlaib Wing and the Self Hating Jew Caucus. She’s offered no coherent reason to demand that Israel agree to a ceasefire, and she hardly brings up the 100± hostages still captive.
In that, Trump has actually smarter about it, saying that a ceasefire isn’t in the cards.
Paul Montagu (de60e0) — 9/23/2024 @ 1:09 pmI expect they are going to help Americans to leave Lebanon. There’s no other reason.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/23/2024 @ 1:17 pmOf which only a handful are Americans. There’s really nothing the US can do to pressure Hamas. Israel literally holds all the cards-the thousand Palestinian terrorists that Hamas wants released as well as a ceasefire.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/23/2024 @ 1:23 pmLet the Israelis and Hezbollah duke it out.
I agree, but clearly this is exactly what the Biden Administration wants to avoid.
JVW (d17bc5) — 9/23/2024 @ 2:14 pmIn that, Trump has actually smarter about it, saying that a ceasefire isn’t in the cards.
I have no love for Trump, but he seems to accept the world for how things are rather than the Obama/Biden/Harris version of how we wish it would be. In some cases, like Ukraine, I think that his cynicism overwhelms what should be our nation’s principles, but in this case I think he gets it right and Democrats are hopelessly lost in believing that peace is just around the corner.
JVW (d17bc5) — 9/23/2024 @ 2:20 pmThe oil companies want gulf states protected Israel doesn’t have oil. Donors say.
asset (12a16f) — 9/23/2024 @ 2:43 pmIs anyone shocked that as soon as a Cheney joined the Democratic plantation, we’re sending troops to the Middle East?
SaveFarris (76cb6f) — 9/23/2024 @ 4:02 pmWhere are we sending them to? And to do what? I doubt any of those Arab countries are going to host us if they are supporting Israel in this fight.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 9/23/2024 @ 5:40 pmIs anyone shocked that as soon as a Cheney joined the Democratic plantation, we’re sending troops to the Middle East?
You connect dots that aren’t really there.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 9/23/2024 @ 5:41 pmI agree, but clearly this is exactly what the Biden Administration wants to avoid.
And instead of a short sharp decisive war, we will have a slow, sporadic war which leaves the civilians in the cross-hairs longer and resolves little.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 9/23/2024 @ 5:44 pmIn some cases, like Ukraine, I think that his cynicism overwhelms what should be our nation’s principles
If Trump really wanted to win, he would turn to criticizing Biden and Harris for losing the Ukraine war by stages and say that if he is elected, Ukraine would win “in a week.”
Kevin M (a9545f) — 9/23/2024 @ 5:47 pmIsrael is going to do whatever it wants to do, both in Gaza and Lebanon. Outside forces (including the US) are just spectators.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/23/2024 @ 5:52 pmAs I said above, they are probably going to assist the evacuation of the nearly 90,000 US citizens in Lebanon and/or reenforce the small military outposts in Iraq and Syria which are sitting ducks.
The US is already supporting Israel in the fight to the tune of billions of dollars of weapons; but I doubt any Americans will be involved in combat. Israel can fight the fight on its own as they have done in the past. Plus I don’t think involving the US in another Middle East war would help the Democrats during the election.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/23/2024 @ 6:02 pmIf Iran-Iraq gets into it directly, there’ll be plenty for us to do.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 9/23/2024 @ 6:13 pmBut do you suppose that Iran knows it has Biden up against an election and is hoping he’ll duck any fight?
Kevin M (a9545f) — 9/23/2024 @ 6:14 pmThis completely confuses what the US actually has the power to do.
Harris, and Trump too, can’t just use the bully pulpit of the US to force Israel/Hamas/Hezbollah/Russia/Ukraine… to do what we ask. I can’t see that as a possibility.
Unless:
1) Bribe them in some way, who knows how
2) Threaten them in some way, who knows how. And convince the American people that going to war is in the US domestic and foreign interest. I can’t see that as a possibility.
3) Pay lip service and send in ships/planes/supplies to the region as a show of force, but don’t do anything substantive.
And this is true no matter who’s in the White House. Asking either candidate how they’re going to solve the problem is just asking for wishes.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 9/23/2024 @ 6:51 pmHuh? Iran and Iraq are allies. You’re about 40 years behind.
Rip Murdock (bb60a6) — 9/23/2024 @ 7:32 pmIt’s similar to Trump’s campaign claim that no Americans died in Afghanistan during the last 18 months of his presidency.
Rip Murdock (bb60a6) — 9/23/2024 @ 7:46 pmA number of current Iraqi government officials spent the Saddam years in exile in Iran, and both governments are dominated by Shia Muslims. And Iraq is Iran’s largest trading partner. No reason for them to go to war.
Rip Murdock (4ad84b) — 9/23/2024 @ 7:55 pmI doubt either will get involved in Lebanon or Gaza. They aren’t stupid-witness the fact that Iran (and Hezbollah) haven’t retaliated for the assassinations of the Hamas terrorist Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah terrorist military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. They only job for the US military is to stay out of the way.
Rip Murdock (bb60a6) — 9/23/2024 @ 8:04 pmAs when Iran launched its missile barrage in April, I expect the US will provide air defense for Israel, but you don’t need ground troops for that.
Where are America’s Arab allies?
Rip Murdock (4ad84b) — 9/23/2024 @ 8:10 pmOur role should be FONOPs, and provide a general threat to Iran by being able to put a warhead anywhere in the country in a few hours.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 9/23/2024 @ 8:13 pmJordan, Saudi, both intercepted missiles and drones.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 9/23/2024 @ 8:15 pmI doubt they will be as helpful if Iran does the same type of barrage (with better targeting of Israel) this time around. They wouldn’t want to become Iranian missile targets themselves.
Rip Murdock (bb60a6) — 9/23/2024 @ 9:03 pmSorry for my posts 20, 22, & 23-I misconstrued your comment.
My bad
Rip Murdock (bb60a6) — 9/23/2024 @ 9:05 pm@13 remember what happened the last time Israel invaded lebanon? Its not gaza and syria is not egypt.
asset (df5598) — 9/23/2024 @ 10:15 pmHuh? Iran and Iraq are allies. You’re about 40 years behind.
Iran-Iraq is one Shi’ite country now.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 9/23/2024 @ 10:35 pmYou misread, Rip.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 9/23/2024 @ 10:36 pmI missed 28, so I’m sorry, too.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 9/23/2024 @ 10:36 pmIts not gaza and syria is not egypt.
Syria is not Syria now, either. Not sure what it is, but it’s not really a country right now.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 9/23/2024 @ 10:38 pmOf course, if Iran has that bomb and is so stupid as to use it…
Kevin M (a9545f) — 9/23/2024 @ 10:38 pmThe spice must flow. It’s not just the descendants of goatherds and olive growers lobbying bombs at each other who are involved. A lot of shipping vital to East and West goes through that part of the world.
nk (3e1e8b) — 9/24/2024 @ 6:29 amHezbolah doesn’t want to stop the war while Israel
right now is trying to give Hezbollah a choice of big war or no war but not something in between.
Does Biden Harris et al understand this?
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 9/24/2024 @ 3:20 pmI think Hezbollah as been trying to evade orders from Iran since October 8 because they don’t want to commit suicide, and Nasrallah, unlike Sinwar actually cares about his men..
Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 9/24/2024 @ 3:24 pm