Biden’s tough-talk, no-action strategy has earned him no respect from Iran
The HillFeb 01
40 Reported Killed in US Retaliatory Strikes in Syria, Iraq
The Facts
The US on Friday launched strikes in Syria and Iraq against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp Quds Force and related militias, in response to Sunday's drone attack that killed three American service members at a US base in Jordan. The strikes were reportedly aimed at over 85 targets and killed nearly 40 people.
Sunday's drone strike was claimed by the Islamic Resistance — an umbrella organization made up of pro-Iranian armed factions — in Iraq. Iran, however, has denied any association with the attack.
The Spin
Republican narrative
Iran is apparently calling the shots here. It hasn't faced the consequences of attacking the US and is unlikely to. Hitting its proxies is not the answer. That is a way too predictable and tired approach by US Pres. Joe Biden, proving again that his bite is as feeble as his bark.
Democratic narrative
Faced with the prospect of an all-out war in the Middle East, Biden is taking a practical approach to US retaliation. A direct strike on Iran will guarantee an escalation in the conflict, which, for all practical purposes, would be unsustainable. Pin-pointed surgical strikes that do maximum damage to the rogue nation's strategic tentacles are what the US must aim for.
Pro-Iran narrative
Though the Western media may portray Iran as a rogue state acting belligerently, in reality, US foreign policy is the primary driver of violence and instability in the Middle East. By occupying countries in the region like Iraq and Syria while ruthlessly supporting Israel's brutal campaign against Palestinians in Gaza, the US has directly thrown fuel on the fire of regional tensions.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance of Iran possessing a nuclear bomb by 2030, according to the Metaculus forecasting community.