In a significant escalation of tensions in the Middle East, three US Army soldiers were killed and over 30 service members injured in a drone attack on a small US outpost in Jordan. This marks the first instance of US troops being killed by enemy fire in the region since the onset of the Gaza war. The attack occurred at Tower 22 near the border with Syria, and officials have attributed it to Iran-backed militants, with indications suggesting the drone originated from Syria.

 

The drone strike targeted living quarters on the base, prompting immediate evacuations and medical evacuations for the injured. US Central Command confirmed the casualties and injuries, emphasizing that the attack impacted a base in northeast Jordan. President Joe Biden pledged to hold those responsible for the attack accountable, asserting that it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq.

 

The incident adds to the escalating hostilities in the Middle East, where Iran-backed groups have been launching frequent attacks on US and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria. Despite previous attacks, this marks the first known strike on Tower 22, raising questions about the effectiveness of air defenses. The outpost in Jordan is part of a mission involving US forces providing advice and assistance to Jordan.

 

As the Biden administration faces criticism for its perceived insufficient response to Iran-backed attacks, calls for a stronger stance have emerged. Republicans, including Senator Lindsey Graham, argue that the policy of deterrence against Iran has failed, urging the administration to take more assertive actions. However, officials emphasize the need to avoid a broader regional conflict, highlighting the delicate balance in addressing rising tensions.

 

The drone attack in Jordan comes amid ongoing conflicts in the region, with Israel engaging in a campaign against Hamas in Gaza and targeting Hezbollah sites in Lebanon. The Biden administration's approach to handling the complex dynamics in the Middle East faces scrutiny, as concerns about the potential for a broader regional war persist.

 

29.01.24

Source

 

 

UPDATE: Biden vows to respond after Iranian-backed drone strike kills 3 US troops

 

President Biden on Sunday vowed to respond after three U.S. troops were killed in an Iranian-backed drone strike in Jordan on Saturday night.

 

“We had a tough day last night in the Middle East. We lost three brave souls in an attack on one of our bases,” Biden said.

 

“And we shall respond,” he added, shortly after holding a moment of silence at the Brookland Baptist Banquet Center at a church Sunday lunch as he made a swing through the state over the weekend.

 

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4434570-biden-vows-to-respond-after-iranian-backed-drone-strike-kills-3-us-troops/

Here we go. The expansion of the Gaza war that Biden claimed to want avoid just kicked off. The US will retaliate, they will retaliate to the US retaliation and the next thing is more American boys coming home in body bags.

I just hope no other nation gets involved in it.

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Here we go. The expansion of the Gaza war that Biden claimed to want avoid just kicked off. The US will retaliate, they will retaliate to the US retaliation and the next thing is more American boys coming home in body bags.

I just hope no other nation gets involved in it.

Never miss a chance to take a pot shot at the states,Biden claimed indeed…..rip to our brave countrymen my deepest condolences to their loved ones 

"The first deaths of US troops under fire will require a different level of response, US officials say, and Biden's advisers were in consensus about that as they consulted with him. What remained unclear was whether Biden would strike Iran itself"

It also begs the question as to why American military personnel are in Jordan in the first place.  They can take care of themselves. 

A widening war? I wonder. Short of a large punitive attack on Iran, which would achieve little except the deaths of innocents (real or claimed) and would surely add to the antipathy that Iranians feel for the US, I don't see what actions the US can take without widening the war. There are US bases all over the ME and undoubtedly some are less well defended than others, but with attacks by multiple drones, the odds are with the attackers. The thing is that while a few individuals might suffer death or injury, there are no strategic implications to such attacks. It is not like the Red Sea initiative by the Houthis which is driving up the cost of insurance and causing ships to divert to longer routes. There are no direct or indirect implications of terror strikes on US bases, unless there are some negatives back home in an election year. I'm sure, our friend, Trump will use these strikes to attack Biden.

8 minutes ago, novacova said:

Spineless gutless cowardly inaction of CornPop led to this. CornPop: “Don’t…don’t don’t don’t.” Iran:…yeah right, whatever. 

I'm struck by the fact that many people cannot see a parallel between the US backing and funding Israel and Iran backing and funding (?) such groups as those who attacked the US base in Jordan. What did you want Joe Biden to do? Start a war with Iran to prevent them from backing militants? I'd call starting such a war dumb, and when Iran closes down the Straits of Hormuz and oil goes through the roof, chaps like you would be complaining about the price of gas, conveniently forgetting you were a warmonger  who wanted Iran to be bombed. 

1 hour ago, Hanaguma said:

It also begs the question as to why American military personnel are in Jordan in the first place.  They can take care of themselves. 

 

Jordan: Though the presence of the U.S. military is a sensitive domestic issue in Jordanian politics, there were around 2,900 personnel there as of June 2023 at the request of the Jordanian government.

• They were deployed there to support Jordan's operations against ISIS, to enhance its security and to promote regional stability.
• Jordanian air bases, particularly, have been important for U.S. intelligence missions in Syria and Iraq.
•  

https://www.axios.com/2023/10/31/american-troops-middle-east-israel-palestine

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Here we go. The expansion of the Gaza war that Biden claimed to want avoid just kicked off. The US will retaliate, they will retaliate to the US retaliation and the next thing is more American boys coming home in body bags.

I just hope no other nation gets involved in it.

Who started this one ?

What nationality was bombed and it's soldiers killed or injured?

Your preference is for non terrorist nations to do nothing and slowly get killed off?

The Gaza Hamas war - started by Hamas.

The Red Sea conflict - started by Iranian backed terrorist

The bombing of Jordan - started by terrorists

There are more but you will still blame Biden.

 

 

US is reaping the fruits of Obama’s long-standing policy of appeasing Iran, something O’Biden has wholeheartedly supported from his first day in office. Seemingly, O’Biden believes that making nice with Iran will make Iran be nice to us. (That’s the best assumption. The other is that these two presidents really want to destroy America.) combined with Biden’s foreign policy failures, his corruption and general daftness, Under Trump and his effective sanctions. Iran was weak, broke and terrified of Trump. Iran is playing Biden for the weak and ineffective fool he is. There are reasons, many of them why voters consistently judge Biden so low in the polls and his appeasement and emboldening of Iran amidst his massive MENA policy failures is a glaring example  and another nail in his (or whatever poor slob replaces him) coffin come Nov 5th 2024.

 

 

https://harvardharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/HHP_Jan24_KeyResults.pdf

 

 

34 minutes ago, illisdean said:

US is reaping the fruits of Obama’s long-standing policy of appeasing Iran, something O’Biden has wholeheartedly supported from his first day in office. Seemingly, O’Biden believes that making nice with Iran will make Iran be nice to us. (That’s the best assumption. The other is that these two presidents really want to destroy America.) combined with Biden’s foreign policy failures, his corruption and general daftness, Under Trump and his effective sanctions. Iran was weak, broke and terrified of Trump. Iran is playing Biden for the weak and ineffective fool he is. There are reasons, many of them why voters consistently judge Biden so low in the polls and his appeasement and emboldening of Iran amidst his massive MENA policy failures is a glaring example  and another nail in his (or whatever poor slob replaces him) coffin come Nov 5th 2024.

 

 

https://harvardharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/HHP_Jan24_KeyResults.pdf

 

 

I suspect that some of the younger folk who may have to actually fight a war are a bit less keen on it deliberate provocation of another nation. But overall the US remain a nation of warmongers willingly abetted by the 'defence' industry and their countless lobbyists. 

1 hour ago, Hanaguma said:

It also begs the question as to why American military personnel are in Jordan in the first place.  They can take care of themselves. 

Because you can't/won't/don't think deeply enough to justify the stationing of troops in Jordan, your opinion bears a greater resemblance to flatulence than fact.

2 hours ago, retarius said:

There are no direct or indirect implications of terror strikes on US bases, unless there are some negatives back home in an election year. I'm sure, our friend, Trump will use these strikes to attack Biden.

For sure it's a gift for Trump. He'd be losing it if he didn't. He'll likely claim that the Gaza conflict wouldn't have happened under his watch, and therefore none of the subsequent chaos would have eventuated.

5 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

Because you can't/won't/don't think deeply enough to justify the stationing of troops in Jordan, your opinion bears a greater resemblance to flatulence than fact.

Anything to reply to the question, or do you prefer insulting other posters?

3 US soldiers killed (RIP) has just upped the ante🥷

1 hour ago, gamb00ler said:

Because you can't/won't/don't think deeply enough to justify the stationing of troops in Jordan, your opinion bears a greater resemblance to flatulence than fact.

Thanks for that illuminating message. 

8 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Here we go. The expansion of the Gaza war that Biden claimed to want avoid just kicked off. The US will retaliate, they will retaliate to the US retaliation and the next thing is more American boys coming home in body bags.

I just hope no other nation gets involved in it.

Thank you Benjamin Nutanyahu!

If you want to be safe "Yanks go home."

A post with nothing other than a trolling meme contravening our Community Standards has been removed.

5 hours ago, Hanaguma said:

It also begs the question as to why American military personnel are in Jordan in the first place.  They can take care of themselves. 

 

There are USA military personnel in many countries.

It doesn't always have to do with directly protecting said countries.

 

I believe forces in Jordan (more than 2K) are either intel, instructors, or special forces (aiding with IS related operations).

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

For sure it's a gift for Trump. He'd be losing it if he didn't. He'll likely claim that the Gaza conflict wouldn't have happened under his watch, and therefore none of the subsequent chaos would have eventuated.

 

@thaibeachlovers

 

And you will likely be parroting his claims ....

2 hours ago, SunsetT said:

Thank you Benjamin Nutanyahu!

 

Last I checked it was Hamas that attacked Israel on 7/10.

 

red flag?

 

we all know USA want more wars ...  big pharma , big military complex... that's it ...

 

I hope Biden does more than kill 3 terrorist or Iran proxies. If it is only Tit for Tat retaliations then Biden is saying an American soldier and a proxy terrorist are valued equally.

5 hours ago, illisdean said:

US is reaping the fruits of Obama’s long-standing policy of appeasing Iran, something O’Biden has wholeheartedly supported from his first day in office. Seemingly, O’Biden believes that making nice with Iran will make Iran be nice to us. (That’s the best assumption. The other is that these two presidents really want to destroy America.) combined with Biden’s foreign policy failures, his corruption and general daftness, Under Trump and his effective sanctions. Iran was weak, broke and terrified of Trump. Iran is playing Biden for the weak and ineffective fool he is. There are reasons, many of them why voters consistently judge Biden so low in the polls and his appeasement and emboldening of Iran amidst his massive MENA policy failures is a glaring example  and another nail in his (or whatever poor slob replaces him) coffin come Nov 5th 2024.

 

 

https://harvardharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/HHP_Jan24_KeyResults.pdf

 

 

Obama and other countries were quite successful in preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. It ended with Trump's stupid withdrawal from the Treaty, and this put Iran in a position of having nothing to lose. It also pushed it in the arms of Russia and China.

 

Sure, there were no ships attacked in the Red Sea, as well as no U.S. base attacked by Iran or its affiliates under Trump!

Oh wait! 😀

Edited January 29, 20242 yr by candide

5 hours ago, illisdean said:

US is reaping the fruits of Obama’s long-standing policy of appeasing Iran, something O’Biden has wholeheartedly supported from his first day 

 

 

 Yes they are both saps. But you can blame the bush ,cheney, rumsfeld, wolowitz Cabal for that bogus invasion of Iraq and the total dismantling of the Suni government and army. Thereby allowing Shia Iran to get established in region. And of course that  Sap- Paul  bremer who administerd the dismantling of Iraq. And by the way Bremer is a retired lobbyist for American weapons manufacturers .

 

The US has small numbers of soldiers all over the Middle East, who are effectively hostages of Iran.

11 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

The US has small numbers of soldiers all over the Middle East, who are effectively hostages of Iran.

From the tone of many of your posts it seems like you are content that US and other Western personnel should be hostages of Iran!

If so you are a sad person!

Just now, scottiejohn said:

From the tone of many of your posts it seems like you are content that US and other Western personnel should be hostages of Iran!

If so you are a sad person!

No. I believe in the Powell doctrine.

 

Bad things happen when US soldiers are stationed abroad in small numbers.