Biden's planned retaliatory strikes in Middle East come with significant political risk: Experts
ABC News
The death of 3 U.S. service members is forcing President Joe Biden to weigh military action that could carry risks of escalation and heavy political consequences.
As the U.S. readies retaliatory strikes after three American troops were killed in a drone attack by an Iran-backed militant group, President Joe Biden is facing a turning point in the Middle East conflict that carries significant risks of escalation and heavy election-year political consequences.
The debate inside the White House is tense, according to a U.S. official, as the administration weighs options that some believe will send a clear message to Iran-backed proxy groups to stop the attacks while others fear they could trigger broader fighting in the region that the Biden administration has strenuously sought to avoid.
At the same time, Biden is under pressure from many Republicans to act even more forcefully -- with some calling on him to strike directly inside Iran.
Biden said earlier this week he'd already decided how to respond to the deadly attack in Jordan. He did not elaborate but laid blame on Iran for providing weapons to the militant groups, many of which are labeled terrorist organizations by the U.S.
Still, Biden made it clear what his bottom-line considerations were. "I don't think we need a wider war in the Middle East. That's not what I'm looking for," he told reporters.