On CNN’s “The Source” broadcast Monday, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, said, “Iran has been able to attack U.S. troops without any consequences for itself. We are allowing these attacks to occur.” As long as this continues, attacks will continue and military personnel will be at risk. ”
host Caitlan Collins asked.[W]What is the appropriate and appropriate response to an attack that killed three soldiers and injured another 40? ”
“I think we need to go after the source more directly, and I think it needs to go after Iran more directly. … Although there are a variety of targets that could impact Iran,” Smith said. , not all of it is within Iran. But I think it needs to be left on the table, because the current calculus is not in our favor. We are allowing these attacks to occur without any repercussions. And as long as they continue, they will continue and our military personnel will be at risk. And that is unacceptable. We have to have them cover some of the costs of what they’re doing.”
Smith then added that the Biden administration’s deterrence wasn’t working, but said, “That assumes there was something that automatically worked for the president.” And I don’t think that’s true. Look, we don’t want to start a broader war within the Middle East. We don’t want Hezbollah to fire all its rockets at Israel. We do not want Iran to launch a full-scale attack on our military in Iraq. In other words, there is always a balance between deterrence and escalation. ”
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