Fox News’ John Roberts questioned why President Joe Biden won’t forcefully “stand up” to Iran in the midst of the regime’s threats to retaliate against Israel.
U.S. officials said Friday that they’re moving military assets to the region to deter Iran from striking Israel and causing a wider conflict.
“If Iran were to launch a ballistic missile directly from Iranian territory into Israel, that would be an unprecedented escalation,” Roberts said on America Reports. “But General Jack Keane doesn’t think Iran will take any action that will provoke a wider war.”
Roberts then played video of Fox News contributor Keane assessing Iran’s military:
They have a weak air force. They have a weak Navy. They have a lot of troops under arms, but they are not particularly well-trained nor are they particularly well-equipped. What they do have is a lot of offensive missiles and drones. Iran knows that war with them would destroy their regime economically and also they would likely lose it. So the leverage has always been on the side of Israel, the United States, and the west but we absolutely refuse to use it.
Roberts then turned to former CIA station chief Dan Hoffman.
“Do you agree with the general’s assessment? And why would we not use what leverage we have? Why wouldn’t Biden stand up and say to Iran, ‘Don’t you dare do this, because the consequences for you will be unbearable,’” Roberts asked.
“Yeah, we’re not really playing our strong hand when it comes to deterrence,” Hoffman said, continuing:
I agree with general Keane. I would add only one point and that is, Iran has faced a lot of domestic unrest, and that has also got to be a concern for the regime. They would lose in a direct conflict with Israel, or with the Israeli and the United States, so they don’t want a direct conflict. But they do have to do something because the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) has failed to deter Israel from launching key strikes…
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