House Speaker Mike Johnson from Louisiana slammed President Biden’s response to the retaliatory strikes carried out in Syria and Iraq following the killing of three American soldiers in an Iran-backed drone attack, calling it “long overdue.” Johnson emphasized that this incident demanded a strong and clear reaction from the Biden administration. He criticized the administration for delaying the response and publicly signaling its nature, which, according to Johnson, weakened America’s position. Johnson highlighted the more than 150 attacks on U.S. troops in the Middle East since Hamas’ attack on Israel in October, arguing that the Biden administration’s Middle East foreign policy has been disastrous. He urged the administration to acknowledge the failure of its strategy of appeasing Iran and to stand firmly against those threatening the US and its allies. Johnson called on President Biden to recognize that his policy of placating Iran has not been successful and to project strength in order to promote peace.
