The Biden Administration Must Do More To Deter Iran

The situation in the Middle East has grown far riskier since the barbaric attacks by Hamas against Israel on October 7th. In subsequent weeks, Iranian proxies have carried out 24 separate attacks on U.S. military bases, putting U.S. service members directly in harm’s way and greatly increasing the risk of provoking a broader war in the region. As was the case with the initial Hamas attacks, these direct attacks on U.S. bases have been made possible by the Biden Administration’s failure to uphold deterrence with the regime in Tehran. If the Administration does not decisively reestablish deterrence soon – by putting at risk something the Iranian Regime actually values – more and deadlier attacks will follow.

These attacks by Iranian proxies have directly hurt U.S. military service members. Over the course of just two days in mid-October, 21 American military personnel were injured in attacks at the Al Tanf Garrison in Syria and Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. Those troops have since returned to duty, but a U.S. contractor died as a result of the strikes.

In response to the attacks, President Biden increased U.S. military presence in the region and ordered airstrikes against weapons and ammunition storage sites used by the IRGC and Iran-aligned militias. The sites were completely destroyed, yet no Iranian or militia personnel were killed. Reports indicate that the strikes appear to have been timed to minimize the risk of casualties, and the Administration has stated that the strikes were “conducted in a manner to limit the risk of escalation.”

While these strikes at least constitute a first response, they will not be nearly enough to deter further Iranian aggression, as these things hold no value for the regime. Establishing deterrence requires that we display the capacity to respond to threats as well as demonstrate our willingness to do so. Striking empty munitions sites accomplishes the former by displaying American power, but it does not send the regime in Tehran a clear message that the Biden Administration is willing to punish Iran for going after Americans.

In the Trump Administration, we were faced with a similar challenge. Iran had been strategically escalating its attacks on our partners and interests, and we were aware they had plans to step up their attacks on American service members as part of this strategy. Our response was simple: We used our channels of communication to ensure the regime knew that if they continued to escalate their attacks and threatened American lives, we would not just go after the militias responsible for launching the strikes. We would not just hit empty munitions depots, either. Instead, we told them very clearly that we would go after the Iranian leaders who were giving the orders.

When the regime’s efforts to attack American troops did not cease, we backed up our words with action: We took out Iran Revolutionary Guard commander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq as he traveled to meet with Iraqi militias. In terms of power within Iran, Soleimani was second only to Supreme Leader Khamenei. Removing Soleimani as a player served the immediate objective of stopping these attacks before they could be carried out. Just as importantly, eliminating Soleimani sent a clear message that leadership within Iran would not be safe if they continued to threaten our people. And it worked: The Iranian Regime stopped its aggressive behavior for the rest of our time in office.

In response to this strike, many “experts” claimed we were trying to start “World War 3.” President Biden – then a candidate for President – claimed that the strike had brought us “dangerously close” to war, arguing that “there (was) a smart way” to counter Tehran, rather than a “self-defeating way.”

How wrong these statements have proven to be. President Biden’s “smart way” of dealing with Iran can be summed up in one word: appeasement. Rather than deter Iran, his Administration has sought to engage with it in the hopes that it will eventually moderate and behave according to America’s wishes. His Administration has pursued this course despite the Iranian leadership routinely referring to the United States as the “Great Satan.” 

Establishing deterrence with Iran is necessary to protect Americans. As is the case in the rest of the world, American power and commitment matter to the stability of the entire Middle East. Failing to stand up to our adversaries there puts our partners and allies at risk. We saw the consequences of appeasement on October 7th, when attacks on Israel were carried out by Iran’s proxy, Hamas, and received the full blessing and support of the Iranian regime. I hope that this Administration will do more to deter the Iranian regime. If it does not, the attacks will continue to escalate, and the possibility of a broader war in the region will continue to increase.