The Iranian-backed militia network Islamic Resistance in Iraq attacked a US airbase at Kharab al-Jir in northeast Syria and Harir airbase near Erbil in Northern Iraq. These strikes came hours after the US launched its much-advertised and highly anticipated retaliatory strikes against Islamic Resistance in Iran and IRGC targets, for the deaths of three soldiers in a drone attack on Sunday.
The drone attacks do not seem to have produced damage, and there were no casualties. Still, they underscore the haplessness of US national security policy under Joe Biden and Jake Sullivan.
If you are shocked that these militias responded to the first retaliatory airstrike in history preceded by a multimedia publicity effort with justified contempt, you can probably get a job on the National Security Council.
Nearly a week elapsed between the fatal attack on US forces at Tower-22 in Jordan and the response that seems limited to three Islamic Resistance in Iraq bases. During that time, the US announced the targets they would hit, gave the Iranian and militia leaders ample time to flee and to move critical assets, and finally ended up apologizing for the strikes in advance.
This attack was just National Security Theater. The airstrikes didn’t make our troops safer or the jihadis less dangerous. It was a publicity gimmick to show the people swooning over the economic miracle that Bidenomics has brought about that Joe Biden is one tough hombre not to be trifled with. No one in the White House believed this would have any positive impact. The intent was not to punish the Iranian militias, deter them from future attacks, or even degrade their ability to plan and execute attacks. It was simply a crude attempt at creating an election-year narrative.
Inevitably, this will be used as an excuse for a replay of our ignominious withdrawal from Afghanistan, and another round of Failure Theater begins where Biden’s campaign will use his calculated decision not to protect our troops for political advantage.
