[Salon] In rare move top Republicans back Biden’s airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen: ‘overdue but welcome’ | Fox News

[Todd Pierce <todd.e.pierce@icloud.com>]

As a Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy Board of Directors member, and a one-time “Conservative,” I’ve been alarmed at the historical revisionism (falsification of history to be exact) begun in 2015 in getting Trump elected by right-wing Oligarchs, principally Charles Koch, Sheldon/Miriam Adelson, and Peter Thiel. All of whom colluded in the massive “Influence Operation” by Cambridge Analytica and Thiel’s private intelligence/surveillance firm Palantir in running an “Influence Operation/Disinformation Campaign,” which the attached file is the best history of (no, it wasn’t the Russians involved in it, but “good old Conservatives” of the US, UK, and Israel).

Attachment: Cambridge Analytica- Military Psy-Ops Privatized.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document

And I’m alarmed at”Propaganda by Omission” employed to influence the American people to avert their eyes from seeing that the difference between the two parties today is only in degree of “Hawkishness.” And colluding in returning the even greater Militarist/Authoritarian/Islamophobe than Biden as POTUS; Trump. Which is not an endorsement of Trump Lite; Biden. And With the Republicans always maintaining their lead in those categories (see respective military spending proposals, every Congress) if one looks. From the time of McKinley’s administration and his annexation of Hawaii, and precipitating a war of aggression against, first, Spain, then, indigenous Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and the Philippines, through post-WWI Banana Wars, down to the present with acts of aggression under Trump leading directly to the present crisis. 

In fact, there has been a steady flow of “disinformation” by Trump, Traditional Conservatives, and sycophantic “journalists” like Mollie Hemingway of The Federalist, telling us that “up is down, black is white,” etc., in falsely asserting that Trump represented a “return” to Republican “Realism and Restraint” in foreign policy, which never existed. Of either! Then, or now. Some even going so far as to say USAF Brig. Gen. Barry Goldwater’s (and his friends, SAC Commanders “Bomb Away LeMay" and Thomas Powers :-) policy prescriptions are what we must return to today!

So perhaps this article below is of interest, on Republicans expressing (tepid) support for Biden’s  (whom Chris Hedges correctly calls a “Republican,” as I’ve mentioned myself in his coming out of that Goldwater right-wing "national security” tradition”). Tepid and "rare” only because ordinarily they’re demanding even more aggression from Biden, and even more support from him for the Israeli Genocide Trump gave Netanyahu the green light to escalate!

Which resulted in the “Blowback” we saw October 7, with the delay which comes with planning for such a military operation. Just like the delay we saw February 24, 2o22 as Blowback to Trump’s escalation of hostility toward Russia, as John Mearsheimer has pointed out. And as indicated in Trump’s accelerating U.S. Nuclear Weapons “Modernization” and withdrawing from Nuclear Arms Treaties, as Cheney/Bush had begun. All in line with Republican policy proposals going back years, to the 1990s, after the Cold War ended, with virtually no dissent by the Republican party to that. As explained here, in part: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/missile/interviews/gingrich.html

So here is a description of one example of Trump’s incitement and escalation of U.S. war against Russia, following what Gingrich, Clinton, Bush/Cheney, and Obama had all carried forward.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/01/us/politics/trump-inf-nuclear-treaty.html

“Nobody in the administration has laid out what the action-reaction cycle looks like as the United States makes all these moves — building new warheads, withdrawing from treaties, pursuing new missiles,” said Jon Wolfsthal, a nuclear expert on the National Security Council during the Obama administration.

“The enemy gets a vote,” he added. “The idea that we’re going to do these things, and they’re going to stand still, is nonsensical. They’re going to respond for both political and military reasons.”

. . . .

"During the administration of President George W. Bush, Mr. Bolton was a major force behind the withdrawal from the Antiballistic Missile Treaty with Russia. Last year, he pressed Mr. Trump to end the 2015 Iran nuclear accord with world powers.”

. . . . 

"The announcement was not entirely surprising. In early 2018, the Trump administration indicated in a nuclear strategy review that it would develop a new warhead for an unspecified number of Trident missiles, which are carried aboard submarines. The first of those weapons — called a W76-2 — is now being assembled at a weapons plant near Amarillo, Tex."

With Biden and the Democrats now following that Republican tradition of always escalating any conflict they precipitate, or find themselves in, as is Republican “tradition.” More so than what for a brief while was the McGovernite Democratic Party, and following the Adali Stevenson “Dovishness,” living on as only a fringe in the DP today. 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rare-move-top-republicans-back-bidens-airstrikes-houthi-rebels-yemen-overdue-but-welcome

In rare move top Republicans back Biden's airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen: 'overdue but welcome'

McConnell said the strikes were 'overdue' but 'welcome'

January 11, 2024 9:34pm EST

Joint US-UK air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen

Fox News senior national correspondent Rich Edson has the latest on the attacks on 'Special Report.'

Senior Republicans are showing support for President Biden's decision to launch coordinated airstrikes against Houthi rebel targets in Yemen. 

"I welcome the U.S. and coalition operations against the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists responsible for violently disrupting international commerce in the Red Sea and attacking American vessels," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in a statement. "President Biden’s decision to use military force against these Iranian proxies is overdue."

"I am hopeful these operations mark an enduring shift in the Biden Administration’s approach to Iran and its proxies. To restore deterrence and change Iran’s calculus, Iranian leaders themselves must believe that they will pay a meaningful price unless they abandon their worldwide campaign of terror," he added.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Mike McCaul, R-Texas, who said he was meeting with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when the strikes were called, also praised the actions. He also called on Biden to restore the Houthis' terror designation.

"I’m pleased the president, in coordination with our allies, finally took action against the Iran-backed Houthis following weeks of instability in the Red Sea. Tonight, with these strikes, we are beginning to restore deterrence. The administration must acknowledge it was a mistake to rescind the Houthis designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and re-list them immediately," he said.

Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, similarly called the action "overdue" and accused the Biden administration of contributing to the increasingly hostile situation in the Red Sea, but said the strikes were "a good first step toward restoring deterrence in the Red Sea."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell praised the Biden administration's decision to strike Yemeni targets (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

"I appreciate that the administration took the advice of our regional commanders and targeted critical nodes within Houthi-controlled Yemeni territory. It is important that we follow this action in close consultation with our Saudi partners to ensure they are with us as the situation develops," Wicker said.

"This strike does not change the basic facts: for weeks, the Houthis have launched drones and missiles at our sailors, while the Biden administration has trumpeted a maritime task force…It is time to dispense with the hollow talk of ‘joint resolutions’ and ‘maritime task forces.’ This strike should be a warning to the Houthis and other Iranian proxies that they will suffer catastrophic consequences from escalation in the region."

President Biden announced in a statement that the U.S. led a coordinated airstrike in Yemen with the U.K. and support from Canada, Australia and Bahrain.

He said the targets were "used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways."

President Biden announced the joint strike on Thursday night (The Image Direct for Fox News Digital)

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., an ally of former President Trump's, said he was "very supportive of the Biden Administration’s decision to strike Houthi rebels who have been harassing international shipping and trying to attack Israeli and American interests."

"It’s long past time to let Iran know that we will hold them accountable for the actions of their proxies – in this case, the Houthi rebels. The only language radical Islamic groups understand is force. I hope the Biden Administration understands that their deterrence policy has completely failed," Graham wrote on X.

TOP BIDEN ADVISER VISITS BEIRUT AS ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH NEAR ALL-OUT WAR

Even rank-and-file Republicans have been issuing cautious and rare praise for the move. Rep. John James, R-Mich., a military combat veteran who served in Iraq, told Fox News Digital, "The Houthis are a terrorist organization. They have been striking at U.S. military personnel since late last year and must be destroyed."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also supported the move (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

"I pray for the safety of our brave military personnel engaging," James said.

Top Democrats in Congress are also backing Biden's move, while some further to the left are angry with him for bypassing Capitol Hill to do it.

"While I support these targeted, proportional military strikes, I call on the Biden Administration to continue its diplomatic efforts to avoid escalation to a broader regional war and continue to engage Congress on the details of its strategy and legal basis as required by law," Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said however, "The President needs to come to Congress before launching a strike against the Houthis in Yemen and involving us in another middle east conflict." 

Elizabeth Elkind is a reporter for Fox News Digital focused on Congress as well as the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and politics. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com