Joe Biden
President Joe Biden faced enormous political pressure Monday to respond to Iran’s deadly drone strike on US troops, offering a significant challenge for the Democrat in an election year.
Striking Iran would greatly increase the likelihood of the larger war Biden claims he’s trying to avoid, not to mention the possibility of more US caskets returning home in the months before elections.
However, with Republicans encouraging the 81-year-old to target Iran directly, Biden cannot afford to appear weak as he battles with low approval ratings ahead of a likely rematch with former president Donald Trump.
The White House stated on Monday that Biden was weighing his options for a very consequential response to the attack on a Jordanian base that killed three US personnel, the first to die in hostile action since the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.
On Sunday, during a campaign event at a church in South Carolina, Biden declared, “We shall respond”, one of a series he’s held in recent days as he seeks to kickstart his bid for a second term.
Iran has denied any connection to the incident, which Biden blamed on Iranian-backed militias.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby flatly disputed that Biden’s choice would be impacted by the election.
Kirby went on to say, “He’s not looking at political calculations, or the polling or the electoral calendar as he works to protect our troops ashore and our ships at sea”.
“And any suggestion to the contrary is offensive”, Kirby added.
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