Associated Press
President Joe Biden indicated he had decided how to respond after the killing of three American service members Sunday in a drone attack in Jordan that his administration has pinned on Iran-backed militia groups, saying he does not want to expand the war in the Middle East but demurring on specifics.
U.S. officials said they are still determining which of several Iran-backed groups was responsible for the first killing of American troops in a wave of attacks against U.S. forces in the region since the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel. Biden plans to attend the dignified transfer to mark the fallen troops’ return to American soil on Friday and answered in the affirmative when asked by reporters if he’d decided on a response, as he indicated he was aiming to prevent further escalation.
“I don’t think we need a wider war in the Middle East,” Biden said at the White House before departing for a fundraising trip to Florida. “That’s not what I’m looking for.”
It was not immediately clear whether Biden meant he had decided on a specific retaliatory plan. A U.S. official told The Associated Press that the Pentagon is still assessing options to respond to the attack in Jordan.
“It’s very possible that what you’ll see is a tiered approach here, not just a single action, but potentially multiple actions over a period of time,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Iranian-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah, one of several groups eyed by U.S. officials, announced Tuesday in a statement “the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government.”
The attacks on U.S. forces by Iraqi militias over the past four months have placed the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in an awkward position. Sudani was brought to power by Iranian-allied factions but has also attempted to stay in Washington’s good graces and has condemned the attacks on U.S. forces serving in Iraq as part of an international commission to fight the Islamic State. Iraqi and U.S. officials on Saturday opened talks aimed at winding down the commission’s presence.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Biden spoke with the soldiers’ families Tuesday morning and extended his condolences, pledging full assistance to the families as they grieve.
In separate calls with the families, Biden also gauged their feelings about his attendance at Friday’s dignified transfer of the fallen service members’ remains at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Friday, and “all of them supported his presence there,” Kirby said.
“He was grateful for their time. He expressed to them how proud we all are of their service,” Kirby said of Biden’s calls with the families. “How we mourn and feel sorrow over their loss.”
Kirby added: “The President will be going to the dignified transfer on Friday.”
The solemn ceremony marks the return of fallen service members to American soil as they journey to their final resting place, with silent honor guards carrying flag-draped transfer cases holding the remains from transport aircraft to military vehicles.
The Pentagon identified those killed in the attack as Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia; and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia. The Army Reserve announced it had posthumously promoted Sanders and Moffett to the rank of sergeant.
There have been a total of 166 attacks on U.S. military installations since Oct. 18, including 67 in Iraq, 98 in Syria and now one in Jordan, a U.S. military official said. On Tuesday, Al-Asad Air Base in Western Iraq was targeted again by a single rocket, but there was no damage and no injuries in that attack, a U.S. military official said. The three soldiers killed in the Jordan strike were the first U.S. military fatalities in the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out. One contractor has also died as the result of a heart attack after a strike on Al-Asad in December.
In 2021, Biden attended the dignified transfer of the remains of 13 troops killed in a suicide attack during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Separately, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany said it expected to receive 3 U.S. service members who were injured in the drone attack, including one listed in critical, but stable, condition. The Pentagon has said at least 40 troops were injured alongside the three killed in action.
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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
13 comments
Earl Pitts "Sage Political Expert Emeritas" Ameriecan
January 31, 2024 at 7:09 am
Good mornting Dook 4 Brains Leftists,
STAND BY FOR NEWS:
1.) TITLE CORRECTION:
“Joe 8iden says he’s finally gotten a call from 8arak 0bama who told him what to do about that pesky response to the killing of 3 8lack US Troups from Georgia.” [At this time we dont know their sexual orientation]
2.) Needless to say its an AP artical reprint ….. so its loaded to the gills with “Dook 4 Brains Leftist Opinion Shapeing Propaganda”.
Thank you “Dook 4 Brains Leftists”,
Earl Pitts “Your Besty Righty” American
*AND THAT, AMERICA, IS “THE REST OF THE STORY”*
Dont Say FLA
January 31, 2024 at 7:24 am
I wonder what the response will be. Ban some books? Commit fraud? Declare war on Disney? Rape some ladies? Give the richest people another tax break?
OH wait, no, I forgot, G0P didn’t win in 2020, despite their claims.
Just like they won’t this year for all of the above reasons, including above all else their claims to have won in 2020 after they lost hard.
Lew Sirs
January 31, 2024 at 8:09 am
Perhaps Biden could have Taylor send in the Swifties. They could take care of Iran and Iraq while still winning the Superbowl. And then they could turn their attention back to obliterating MAGA like the MAGA media claims lol.
GOP’s Problem? Hi. It’s Taylor. She’s the problem it’s her. LOL.
The GOP’s problem couldn’t possibly be loser Trump and his loser sycophants, could it? No! So it’s Taylor Swift. She’s the problem it’s her. LOLOLOLOL
Today’s GOP, what a bunch of whiny, snowflake, lunatic losers.
Looooooooooooooooooo serrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs
Impeach Biden
January 31, 2024 at 8:27 am
The response from Biden should have been swift but it wasn’t. So the families of the dead service members want Joe present at Dover AFB on Friday. To Joe’s handlers, do not let him wear a watch. The absolute most incompetent President since Jimmy Carter.
Dont Say FLA
January 31, 2024 at 8:36 am
Biden should of did like Dubya did after 9/11 and acted immediately.
Invade somebody, anybody. It doesn’t matter who did what. No need to find any facts. Just drop some bombs.
Right?
I bet Trump was behind it. Biden should drop a bomb on Trump. As President, Biden has total immunity right? All he has to do is say Trump was behind it, just like Trump was behind sinking the bipartisan immigration bill that would have got the GOP pretty well everything they wanted. Trump’s a ticking bomb. Biden should call in the bomb squad! Right?
Tom
January 31, 2024 at 8:47 am
So you don’t think taking a couple of days for the CIA to figure out what exactly happened and maybe liaising with our allies to consider an appropriate response, letting military commanders plan their missions and all that stuff makes sense? What makes sense to you? Should we have hit Iran with tactical nukes Sunday morning? Maybe you’d prefer some trump type sh1t show – marching bands and clown cars. Personally, I’ll take a measured response that gets the point across without starting WW3 thanks.
Impeach Biden
January 31, 2024 at 9:02 am
Fair enough. Obviously a breakdown on our intelligence. I would have thought that the bad guys could be traced right away if our 8n tel was worth a damn. Military plans are always in motion. Of course that area of the world is volatile and I imagine those USAF and USN squadrons plan for this every day. As far as WW3. It is our weak President and his administration that has gotten us to this point. Now over 165 attacks on US installations and facilities since October. These terrorist groups funded by Iran have no fear of Joe Biden. Just like Putin.
Dont Say FLA
January 31, 2024 at 9:26 am
Trump doesn’t trust the US Government’s intelligence whatsoever.
Why shouldn’t Biden at least do the ole’ Доверяй, но проверяй routine?
Impeach Biden
January 31, 2024 at 9:40 am
Well if you had any experience at all with military intel you would know that they are not always reliable with their information.
Impeach Biden
January 31, 2024 at 10:30 am
And I worked the mess hall in the Air Force, so trust me, I know what I’m talking about.
Impeach Biden
January 31, 2024 at 11:03 am
Uh huh. If you only knew Fake Impeach.
K1115Q. Look it up dumb azz.
Earl Pitts "Sage Political Expert Emeritas" Ameriecan
January 31, 2024 at 12:50 pm
Good afternoon Dook 4 Brains Leftys,
Please review the top post for your “Daily Dose Of Sage Wisdom”.
Thank you Dook 4 Brains Leftys and dont forger to “Relax Your Sphincters”.
Earl Pitts American
Impeach Biden
January 31, 2024 at 6:57 pm
Breaking News:
Joe Biden still formulating a plan. Meanwhile previously plotted targets are no longer viable since they know what is coming. Sec of Def should get the axe on this one. Our military is simply not prepared.
Comments are closed.