Proactive vs. Reactive

I’m sure that a lot of you remember how President Trump dealt with our enemies in the Middle East. He was pro-active. That approach worked because they only understand a show of force.

In addition President Trump designated the Houthi’s as a terrorist organization. As most of you remember, Joe Biden almost immediately removed the Houthi’s from this list. In the last few months the Houthi’s have been terrorizing shipping in the Yemen-Somalia Red Sea area. As a reaction to this, Joe Biden moved many American Navy ships into the area. Finally, Biden re-designated the Houthi’s as a terrorist group, and subsequently reactively started firing missiles into the Houthi’s locations in Yemen. Too little? Too late?

In January, two Navy SEALS were presumed by the U.S. military to have died after going missing during an operation near the coast of Somalia, although few details were provided. Officials said they were attempting to seize Iranian-made weapons that were being sent to the Houthi terrorist group based in Yemen, which has carried out a number of attacks on U.S. military ships and commercial vehicles since the start of the Israel–Gaza conflict.

Now on Jan 28, 2024 after months of attacks on our troops stationed around the Mideast, what everyone knew was very possible, happened.

Three American servicemembers were killed early on Jan. 28 in a drone attack on a small U.S. base in Jordan, the Biden administration said in a statement. At least two dozen other troops were injured in the incident, according to U.S. officials.

They were the first U.S. fatalities after at least 150 strikes by Iranian-backed groups against American forces across the Middle East. Joe Biden vowed to hold the perpetrators to account; so far, no organization or government has claimed responsibility.

Two important things:

First, Two months of attacks on our troops. Not two days. Not two weeks. But two months! More than 150 attacks on our troops. Not ten. Not fifty. Not one hundred. But more than 150!

Second, Joe Biden has now vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable. Perhaps, if Joe Biden was more pro-active, these three servicemen would still be alive, and he would not have to now be reactive.

1/29/24