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Appeasement has failed. The U.S. needs to restore deterrence in the Middle East and elsewhere.



WSJ Opinion: Pence + Pompeo
President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the White House in Washington, Feb. 6. PHOTO: EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS
Escalating Iranian aggression cost the lives of three U.S. soldiers in Jordan. These intolerable acts of violence by the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism can no longer go unpunished. The U.S. must respond with an immediate and unequivocal show of force that will begin to restore the deterrence that has decayed not only in the Middle East but around the world.

Over the past three years, President Biden’s diplomats have repeatedly made overtures and concessions to Iran, which has only emboldened the regime’s aggressive behavior. The Biden administration rolled back the Trump administration’s maximum-pressure strategy, agreed to a $6 billion ransom payment for five American hostages, allowed Iran to export more oil to China than ever, and removed the Houthis’ terrorist designation. Worse, the Biden administration has continued trying to revive the Iran nuclear deal, which would put Tehran back on the fast track to obtaining nuclear weapons.

The result of this appeasement is war, beginning Oct. 7 with Hamas’s atrocities against Israel. In the four months since, the Biden administration has continued to resort to appeasement by declining to respond forcefully to Iran’s escalation and attacks.

The mullahs have unceremoniously snapped every olive branch Mr. Biden and his diplomats extended. It is past time to accept that this approach has utterly failed and cost American lives. To keep our soldiers and our nation safe, the Biden administration must adopt a more robust stance toward Iran.

The mullahs understand only strength. In addition to canceling the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Trump administration launched a campaign of maximum pressure that included the enforcement of crippling sanctions on Iran. We didn’t hesitate to take decisive action to stop Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani when he threatened American lives. By 2020, the Iranian regime was more isolated than ever. Both its capacity and its will to plunge the region into chaos were at an all-time low.

Only by returning to maximum pressure can the U.S. restore stability to the region and adequately protect the lives of American service members and our allies. We encourage the Biden administration to revoke the $10 billion sanctions waiver it reissued in November. The regime in Tehran uses these funds to finance terror, death and suffering across the Mideast. As the leader of the free world, the president must also call on international banks to seize the funds of all Iranian proxies operating in the region.

No one wants war; every decent person despises it. This is why we in the Trump administration built a model of deterrence that successfully kept America’s adversaries from engaging in aggression. That model of deterrence has been allowed to decay in favor of appeasement and, as a result, the costs necessary to resurrect it have risen, not only in the Middle East, but around the world.

Our first step should be to respond to Iran’s deadly attacks with devastating strikes: not only to end Tehran’s escalation and keep American soldiers safe, but to begin re-establishing the model of deterrence that keeps war at bay. The U.S. military must destroy high-value Iranian targets, including Tehran’s nuclear program, navy and oil infrastructure. Telegraphed strikes on empty warehouses achieve nothing. Appeasement has never worked a single time in history, and it won’t work now.

The safety and security of the nation and its citizens must always remain paramount. Those who volunteer to defend our freedoms shouldn’t be left to fend for themselves. Those who make the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country deserve justice. And those who dare to threaten America’s interests deserve a reminder that they’ll regret it.



Mr. Pence served as vice president of the United States, 2017-21. Mr. Pompeo served as secretary of state, 2018-21.

OP

When do you deploy?

The OP only highlights how important it is to have leadership. Right now, we're on an autopilot course to the Sun.

Just a mere 4 years ago, America wasn't the nation we are now. Weakened. Laughed at. Constant sniping by nations that shout death to us and Israel. Fumbling and stumbling with green new deal stupidity at a cost only designed to fail and line pockets of the chosen.

Remember all the crap they said Trump was going to do? Well, he even told you this was going to happen. It's all there in the last debates. We've watched psyop after psyop destroy the Constitution and claw back rights never given the federal government , the 3 branches in DC, and the gaslighting of Americans that know better and voice out.

Robert is (imo) the need for leadership.

The Republicans in the house should read and live it.

Why doesn’t Israel just take out the Iranian reactor like they did around 1980?

I’ve always said I’ll hold my nose and vote for Haley if she were the nominee.

One thing I know is she will bomb Iran. Biden might get confused and bomb Israel. Or Idaho.

34 trillion in debt. Shouldn’t Mossad take care of that?

Or send the Charlottesville Militia? Those boys with the flashlights sure could march, chant and carry torches real purdylike.

🔦🔥

I understand what you are saying.

By the measurement of people who support Trump (you, HD, DMV, etc.) all consider moderate conservatives are considered rhinos. Moderate conservatives and moderate Republicans are supporting Haley.

If she is center right, you guys are rather to the right, therefore Far Right. At the very least, Farther Right.

Understood. However, I do not believe Nikki Haley is truly a conservative. Nor are many of the jackwagons with an R next to their names.

They can SAY they are, but actions prove they're liars.

Boy, do I agree with you there. It hasn’t been the same since 7 out of the 10 of the self identified Lefties got chased out of CigarBid.

It’s gotten so out of hand, I believe you guys look at me as a lefty now.

All you have to do is chase out rfenst, Frank, and Brewha and you’ll almost have the pure, one dimensional echo chamber that has been built over the last two years.

Then I’m guessing I’m next.

Someone who is for limited government... much, much more limited than we have become. We've gone well and far beyond what was intended. Someone who is for supporting the constitution as it was written. There's no need to interpret sh*t. They said it plain and clear when they wrote it.

Someone who will not negotiate when it comes to getting a balanced budget. STOP the bleeding. STOP sending money to countries that hate us. Stop funding wars in other countries. Stop meddling in other countries' affairs and stop being the world police.

And finally... someone who will support term limits, and transparency when it comes to gov't officials money making. They want to see Trump's tax return?? I want to see ALL of theirs. How did people making 150k become multimillionaires?

Ewwww. ❤️❤️❤️.

Love you, Brother. Don’t look now, but your Libertarian is showing!
That is better than half their platform.
Now nut up and vote for their candidate and dump The Nut.

You are a man of character. You can do it.
The right thing isn’t always easy, and the easy thing isn’t always (more like rarely) right.

There is so little in that list that Republicans would ever do.

Permanent tax cuts for the rich, not for everyone else.
Added seven trillion to the debt, didn’t stop or slow the financial bleeding.
Has never called for term limits.
Don’t see much in the area transparency. When have we seen Trump tax returns? He and his attorneys were negotiating the return of classified documents.
You personally, as a leader in the military, knows what good, quality leadership is and what it isn’t. About the only thing I can give Trump credit for is being Authentic. A quality leader serves his people, doesn’t rile them up to feed his ego and desire to show off his influence and acts like that man acted on January 6th.

Based on your own criteria, this man is not worthy of your vote.

Desantis is politically dead. Trump, Trump Light. It doesn’t matter if you drink Bud or Bud Light. It’s made by the same people.

Donald added 7 trillion to the deficit, yet you support him. Your actions don’t match your words.

Actually that candidate would not get the pleasure of one term much less two.

Few people who have served in any branch of military under the Stars and Stripes, myself included, would actively support going to war absent some strong compelling reason. After all we were/are the ones whose life’s would hang in the balance.

But, we also know that the stronger the deterrent the less apt a bad actor is going to attack an ally. Enter the MIC. A evil yet necessary component of deterrence. The more undefeatable the USA seems the smaller the odds that US troops actually deploy.

No, he did not... but he was fighting battles his entire election and if he DID try to do that, he'd have been fighting dems and RINO's.

It's not just the president. It's ALL of them. House. Senate. Unelected bureaucrats.

I've a glimmer of hope in Mike Johnson.

Then what chance does a person have if they run on an absolute balanced budget?
They wouldn’t be able to get close to trimming 34 trillion.

What are Democrats and Republicans, Alex?

Obama (who I didn’t and don’t support) added 4.65 trillion over four years? If we want to get more budget conscious, shouldn’t True Conservatives support Obama over Trump?

Biden only at 7 trillion? After all the Ukraine money and every lgbt+ shades of color Divide, Exclude, and Inequity crap and is only on par with Trump?

What did Trump spend up 7 trillion?… other than the obvious tax cuts for the rich? With all the money ZRX, MACS, and DMV have, I understand a little bit why they supported him.

Would like to see the line items under “Covid Related”.
Was he part of the paychecks that gave many people money for nothing, which helped to overstimulated the economy, lighting the inflation flame?

Thought that was a Biden thing.

Had an epiphany when you said you make more money with a Biden win vs Trump. Assuming you vote in your self interest, your support of Trump, a guy who is likely to lose to Biden makes a lot of sense.

Trump loses by 1%, and you get paid.
That is why you are the smartest dude on CigarBid.

A sincere tip of the hat to you, fine sir.

Trump didnt submit a budget. That's ALL Congress. His administration was faced with a once in a lifetime pandemic. The expenditures associated with that are going to be abnormal. Everyone wanted government to solve what they created.


As for the rest...Perot and Ron Paul tried to tell America that there was a problem. Might've fixed it back then. Now? Now isn't looking good.

Perot ran in 1992

Clinton was the last POTUS to have a balanced budget...even a surplus IIRC.
In office '93 to 2001
Balanced budget from '98 to 2001

Last POTUS before him to do so was LBJ

Voted for both Perot and Paul.

Heck, I don’t remember them all. If you want, I can put together the list. They are the Cbid Exiles that meet up regularly on Zoom.

Leo from New Jersey
Victor80*
Teedubya (the most vicious and merciless attacks on anyone south of Victor80*).
Opie
Native American dude from Arizona that talked bitcoin. Ben, but don’t remember his handle.
The dude from Colorado (forget his handle).
Celtic Bomber

You visit the Exiles from time to time, Z. Who am I missing?
Rfenst… who else?

Anything from Covid, Politics, Woke, LGBT+.

I certainly took my fair share of swings but…. Wow.
If you figure something like 8% of the population is gay, lesbian, bi, or something more exotic for of sexual preference or dysfunction, and add to that people who post here all know of or care for someone who’s made that choice (if you believe it is a choice) or has been afflicted- and some are raising kids and going through this stuff, if my son was gay or my best friend was a tranny, I probably wouldn’t have stuck around either.

Live and let live. Or, purify Cbid by wiping out everyone who is the left of you!
When the single Lord of the Flies “wins”i please make sure to turn off the lights and close the door.

I liked TW and BGZ. But neither of them were lefties/liberals. Hell I'm more liberal than Fenster.

I think people just post for a while and then quit for whatever reason. Overall, the place seems more laid back without them. I could go for some BGZ trolling or one of TW's "models". Entertaining stuff.

BTW TW and BGZ, and a few others that you mentioned, dished out just as much BS as the got. Personally I think Victor and BGZ lived to troll. I just liked BGZ's style more than Victor's. Victor wasn't as funny.