President Joe Biden and Western allies are “distorting” the real cause of the soaring tensions with Iran, an expert says, as the US plots its response to the drone strike in Jordan that killed three American service members.
The White House blamed the drone blast at Tower 22, a US base on the country’s border with Syria and Iraq, on “radical Iranian-backed militant groups”, and The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a network of hardline Shiite Muslim armed groups close to Tehran, later claimed responsibility.
Dr Nader Hashemi, an associate professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics, says the deadly attack on US troops is a “hugely significant” event, but Washington isn’t willing to address the root of the unrest in the region.
“There is a context to this escalation and it can traced to the Israel-Gaza war. The US/West wants to ignore this connection and make this all about Iran,” the expert at Georgetown University told Daily Express US.
“This is analytical distorting. Since October 7, there has been a massive increase in attacks by Iran-backed groups, reflecting how events in Gaza are destabilizing the region.”
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“The death of three American soldiers was inevitable in this context,” Dr Hashemi said. “It is a hugely significant event because now the US is forced to respond in a way that tries to simultaneously accomplish two goals: send a message Iran/allies that further attacks will not be tolerated while preventing further regional escalation.
“Biden is under huge pressure from the Republican Party and members of his own party to respond forcefully to this attack,” he added. “How he chooses to respond will be very important.”
In a statement following the Tower 22 strike, Biden said the three soldiers “were patriots in the highest sense. And their ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten by our nation. Together, we will keep the sacred obligation we bear to their families.
“We will strive to be worthy of their honor and valor,” he added. “We will carry on their commitment to fight terrorism. And have no doubt — we will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner our choosing.”
