The realm of diplomacy seems to be shrinking with every passing day, and the incompetency of Joe Biden and his regime in the global stage is only fanning the flames of conflict.
On Saturday, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III announced a series of actions aimed at bolstering the United States’ military presence in the Middle East.
Following ‘in-depth’ discussions with Joe Biden, these steps are in response to the recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the region.
Secretary Austin outlined three major steps to strengthen the U.S. military’s position in the Middle East.
- Redirecting Naval Assets: The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group has been redirected to the Central Command area of responsibility. This move is in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The presence of two carrier strike groups significantly enhances the U.S. Navy’s capabilities in the region.
- Deployment of Missile Defense Systems: A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, along with additional Patriot battalions, will be deployed to various locations throughout the Middle East. These systems will provide increased protection for U.S. forces stationed in the region.
- Prepare to Deploy Orders: An unspecified number of U.S. forces have been placed under “prepare to deploy” orders. This move is part of prudent contingency planning and aims to increase the readiness and responsiveness of these forces.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken joined Kristen Welker on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ to discuss on the unsettling trend of rising hostilities against U.S. military facilities and personnel in the volatile Middle East region.
The Secretary of State admitted that the Biden regime is “concerned. In fact, we expect that there’s a likelihood of escalation by Iranian proxies directed against our forces, directed against our personnel.”
JUST IN – Blinken: We Expect Escalation by Iran
– We “don’t know” the status of the ten American hostages. We “believe that some significant number are hostages.”
– The U.S. will not hesitate to take military action if the conflict expands
– There is a possibility of… pic.twitter.com/Er2voJqP14
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 22, 2023
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was also on CBS’s “Face the Nation” with Margaret Brennan to discuss the escalating tensions in the Middle East.
As Margaret Brennan pointed out, the tension in the Middle East is at a boiling point, asking if there are any changes in the U.S.’s security posture or plans to pull out U.S. personnel from the region.
Antony Blinken: Margaret, we are concerned at the possibility of Iranian proxies escalating their attacks against our own personnel, our own people. We’re taking every measure to make sure that we can defend them and if necessary, respond decisively. Not at all what we’re looking for, not at all we want, but we’ll be prepared if that’s what they choose to do.
Margaret Brennan: So that sounds like quite possibly pulling people out. In terms of the threat from Iran you just referenced there, President Biden, in his Oval Office address, said that the US would hold Iran accountable. What does accountable mean?
Antony Blinken: Well, what you’ve seen already, Margaret, is a very clear message from the President, backed up by the deployment of two of our largest aircraft carrier battle groups to make sure that it’s clear no one should take advantage of this moment to escalate, to further attacks on Israel, or for that matter, attacks on us, on our personnel. And this is not by way of in terms of what we’re doing, by provocation. It’s designed to deter, designed to make clear that no one should use this moment in any way to escalate. No one wants a second front, a third front. And at the same time, we want to make sure that our own people in the region, wherever they are, are safe and protected and that we’re in a place as we are to respond decisively if we need to. President’s been clear about that, both in what he said and in what we’re doing.
The discussion also veered towards the ongoing crisis in Gaza, where Blinken admitted to Hamas’ control over the movement of civilians, including Americans. The inability of Biden regime to secure the safe passage of its citizens from a conflict zone, as well as the lack of concrete actions to broker a ceasefire.
Margaret Brennan: I know there are an estimated 500 to 600 Americans [in Gaza]… It does not appear any Americans have made it out that way… Is there any chance Israel let some of those Americans out or Egypt allows some of those Americans?
Antony Blinken: You’re exactly right. We have several hundred Americans and other nationalities, other civilians from other countries who want to leave Gaza… To date, at least, Hamas has blocked them from leaving, showing once again it’s total disregard for civilians of any kind who are stuck in Gaza.
