Althouse: "If a belligerent state launched 186 explosive drones, 36 cruise missiles, and 110 surface-to-surface missiles from three fronts against civilian targets within the United States..."

April 17, 2024

"If a belligerent state launched 186 explosive drones, 36 cruise missiles, and 110 surface-to-surface missiles from three fronts against civilian targets within the United States..."

"... would Joe Biden call it a 'win'? Would the president tell us that the best thing we can do now is show 'restraint'? What if that same terror state’s proxy armies had recently helped murder, rape, and kidnap more than 1,000 American men, women, and children? What if this terror state were trying to obtain nuclear weapons so it could continue to agitate without any consequences?"

Asks David Harsanyi, in "The World Is Paying A Deadly Price For Barack Obama’s Foreign Policy Legacy" (The Federalist).

52 comments:

Mr Wibble said...: Yes, he would.; 4/17/24, 8:59 AM
Butkus51 said...: Inviting in and providing for illegal immigrant rapists, murderers and thieves is a win to Joey too.; 4/17/24, 9:02 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Mr. Harsanyi is a very clear writer and has his finger exactly on the origins of our current foreign policy dilemmas. (See Ukraine circa 2008-2012fo further evidence.); 4/17/24, 9:02 AM
retail lawyer said...: Biden might call it a win. Its not inconceivable. What is he calling the invasion on our southern border?; 4/17/24, 9:03 AM
gilbar said...: What if that same terror state’s proxy armies had recently helped murder, rape, and kidnap more than 1,000 American men, women, and children?

how many murders and rapes have been committed by illegal aliens during Biden's residency so far?

Please Wake UP.. we aren't being invaded.. we HAVE BEEN invaded.. The enemy is already here; 4/17/24, 9:04 AM
Howard said...: That's right all the problems in the Middle East are really about your feelings; 4/17/24, 9:07 AM
Yancey Ward said...: The hypothetical is spot on- were it the U.S. in the exact same situation last weekend or the last 6 months, it would likely be full-on war right now. I am not saying this would be the most rational way forward, but our government would not be "taking a win" right now.; 4/17/24, 9:22 AM
Gusty Winds said...: Thank GOD Biden is committed to restraint. He and our current military leaders are morons.

Retaliating against Iran would be punching the tar baby. Things would escalate from there.

Seems like the Iran missile attacks were to appease the Israel haters, rather than damage Israel. They telegraphed the attack. Most of the missiles and drones were intercepted and destroyed by the US and Israel, and many failed to launch.

Iran blew their load in one shot, quickly. Now they are in the post-ejaculation blues phase.

No need to attack Tehran.; 4/17/24, 9:28 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: WWIII Joe- protected by the hack-D press... that now includes sell-out Drudge.; 4/17/24, 9:31 AM
John henry said...: In the 1920's and especially in the 1930's strategic doctrine was that "The bomber will always get through" and that trying to defend against them was an exercise in futility.

There was a similar mantra about ballistic and, to a lesser extent, about cruise and other types of missiles. That dunce Reagan was to stupid to believe the experts and developed missile defenses anyway.

Last week the Israelis benefitted from his failure to listen to the experts.

That dunce Donald Trump was so stupid that he thought he could negotiate peace between Arab states and the Israel. The so-called Abrahamic Accords. Last week the Israelis benefitted from his stupidity. First, Jordan, UAE and Saudi, which Iran had told of its plans, passed the intelligence along to Israel. Then, during the attack, Jordan allowed Israel to fly into its airspace to shoot missiles and drones down.

Yeah, somehow Reagan and Trump were the dunces.

BB: I do not think either were dumb. I think both were/are very smart and among our best presidents ever.

John Henry; 4/17/24, 9:37 AM
John henry said...: Kind of ironic that of all that hardware flying around, the only kill the Iranians got was of an Arab child.

Shame on them.

John Henry; 4/17/24, 9:38 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: Using the same logic, the IDF is OUR "Proxy-army" and has killed over 33000 innocent Gazans and destroyed churches, hospitals, and schools. 1/2 of Gaza has been reduced to rubble and Gaza is starving to death.

Guess, the world is still paying the price for Biden's Greenlight to Israel.

Everyone knows "Genocide Joe" is in the pocket of Israel. And so was Obama. The Iran deal was an attempt to negotiate with Iran and improve relations. The ultimate goal however, has never changed, a liberal/left "Democracy" in Iran. ONe that likes Israel. So, any attempt to paint Biden or Obama as "pro-Iranian" is absurd.

In any case, Iran is not an enemy of the USA. Its an enemy of Israel, because Israel wont stop assassinating Iranians and bombing Iran, whenever Israel feels like it. There's no reason for me - As an American - to hate Iran, or wish them ill. And I don't see why if Pakistan has an Abomb, and Russia has an Abomb, and Israel has an A-bomb, why Iran cant have one.

Its bizarre the way our elite, and our pundits, have these strong hatreds toward foreigners that have no beef with the USA. If they're not rattling on about Putin, its the Chicoms and NK, Or Iran. We're not at great risk from any of these countries. But 'muricans love war. And playing risk with real lives. And wasting money (billions) that we need to borrow.

We always need to get in a panic over the X threat who were always told is "just like Hitler". What morons!; 4/17/24, 9:42 AM
Iman said...: POTATUS must be put out to pasture before he does something that the world - let alone the USA - can’t recover from.

Biden au grotten.; 4/17/24, 9:44 AM
Achilles said...: Biden is just letting Iran riot.

This is the same thing as BLM.

The Biden using Biden as a puppet want to turn the entire world into a bombed out ruin where looters steal from people who produce things.; 4/17/24, 9:49 AM
Achilles said...: For Biden a "Win" is starting a war and then making sure we lose in as humiliating way as possible.

Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine and so many more.

Biden voted to start every one of these and turned against the US and he has made sure we lost every time in humiliating fashion.

He needs to be put on the landing gear of a plane as it takes off. So does everyone that still supports this piece of shit.; 4/17/24, 9:52 AM
Temujin said...: Harsanyi's article is completely accurate. Obama's approach vs Trump's approach to all foreign policy was 180 degrees different. Obama fed the Mullahs. Trump stifled them, suffocated them. Biden has set up the smorgasbord again. Under Trump, the Middle East was headed toward a rapid path to peace between Arab nations and Israel- the goal being to further and finally so isolate Iran and the Mullahs that they would be ousted.

Obama's team was horrible. But he wore his suits nicely and was a very good orator, though his words were often vacant, meaningless. And, most importantly, he's a Black man. So people, to this day, refuse to acknowledge what a consistently awful foreign policy he oversaw.

Biden took on Obama's team and it's as if they learned nothing because...well...they hadn't. I wish I could find the quote and the person, but I definitely recall reading a quote by a US military general (don't recall if he was active or retired) who, upon hearing Antony Blinken was being considered for Secretary of State, stated that Antony Blinken is the last person who should be Secy of State and should be allowed nowhere near our foreign policy in any manner.

Well...look at your world around you today and compare it with 2018, 2019, pre-covid.; 4/17/24, 9:54 AM
Jupiter said...: The sad thing is that Harsanyi imagines he is delivering a counter-factual hypothesis. In fact, we are being invaded, and the Biden regime is on the side of the Enemy.; 4/17/24, 9:59 AM
The Real Andrew said...: @Gusty Winds,
“No need to attack Tehran.”

Maybe not Tehran, but every single place where drones and missiles were launched.

@John Henry,
I’ve often wondered how much of Israel’s Iron Dome was dependent on Reagan’s foundation of Star Wars defense systems. My guess is that there is some connection, but I’ve never seen that spelled out. Of course, Reagan will never be given any credit if so.; 4/17/24, 10:07 AM
Big Mike said...: "If a belligerent state launched 186 explosive drones, 36 cruise missiles, and 110 surface-to-surface missiles from three fronts against civilian targets within the United States would Joe Biden call it a 'win'? Would the president tell us that the best thing we can do now is show 'restraint'?”

Of course he would. Talk about a rhetorical question! Biden thinks of himself as an empathetic individual with a rare ability to connect with the common man. In fact he’s been in DC too many years and is wildly out of touch with a real world that starts about 50 miles outside the Washington Beltway.; 4/17/24, 10:09 AM
Gusty Winds said...: Blogger The Real Andrew said...
@Gusty Winds,
“No need to attack Tehran.”

Maybe not Tehran, but every single place where drones and missiles were launched.

Why? Missiles and drones were intercepted, and Iran doesn't have and endless supply. They are now in a refractory period.

Why escalate? Why punch the tar baby? We would blow up more than "every single place where drones and missiles were launched". We would kill innocent Iranians and there would be collateral damage. More anger and escalation. It would actually strengthen Iran. Then you'd get more Russian involvement...etc...

It's one thing if Israel wants to do it, but United States should not.; 4/17/24, 10:41 AM
Sebastian said...: The hypo is pointless. As we all know, there is one set of rules for the U.S. and the world, and another for Israel. Cuz Joos.

But Barry's legacy is real nonetheless. Put it this way, if someone in his position had wanted to weaken the U.S. and embolden its enemies more, what would he have done differently?; 4/17/24, 10:54 AM
tommyesq said...: "If a belligerent state launched 186 explosive drones, 36 cruise missiles, and 110 surface-to-surface missiles from three fronts against civilian targets within the United States would Joe Biden call it a 'win'?"

If Joe Biden got word on a Friday that there was solid intelligence that Iran was going to launch an attack on a close ally, would he (a) convene his staff and the heads of the military and intelligence agencies and be on top of the situation, or (b) immediately head for yet another vacation weekend at Rehoboth Beach?; 4/17/24, 11:00 AM
Mark said...: Yes, but let's not pretend that Trump would have the U.S. respond. Israel isn't the U.S. America First! And no more forever wars. And let's not start WW3, etc., etc. with all the usual cowering Trumpist talking points.; 4/17/24, 11:01 AM
Quaestor said...: Biden's win parameters are somewhat more relaxed than those of other historic world leaders. For example, I doubt Napoleon would have counted ascending six contiguous steps without a pratfall as a win, per se.; 4/17/24, 11:01 AM
tommyesq said...: Under Trump, the Middle East was headed toward a rapid path to peace between Arab nations and Israel- the goal being to further and finally so isolate Iran and the Mullahs that they would be ousted.

It worked well enough that Jordan joined in defending Israel from the attack.; 4/17/24, 11:02 AM
William said...: I agree that Israel has a right to respond in a forceful way to Iran's attack. Here's what I think should inhibit the response: Iran is run by homicidal and suicidal maniacs. I'm not exaggerating. Those mullahs are fucking crazy. They can much better play the role of mad man with his finger on the button than Israel. They are mad men with their finger on the button. This should be a factor in how Israel responds.....In the Iran/Iraq war, Iran eventually settled on terms that had been offered several years and many thousands of corpses earlier. No matter. All those dead young men went to paradise.... All those countries over there, Algeria, Sudan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Libya engage in endless, futile bloodletting. Maybe the only way to win is not to play the prisoner's dilemma with homicidal maniacs.....Hamas, out of nowhere, was able to launch a terror attack that killed a thousand people. You can't say Hamas won the encounter. Gaza is in ruins, but a thousand Israelis are dead. In a showdown with Iran, Israel could probably inflict more damage, but at a cost of thousands of their own lives. And, of course, if Israel does nothing that also increases the chances of another attack. It's a fucked up situation with every promise of becoming more fucked up....From what I read in the Times, the only possible way to arrive at peace is to remove Netanyahu from power.; 4/17/24, 11:05 AM
Mr. O. Possum said...: Come January we're going to need a cross between Churchill and Lincoln.; 4/17/24, 11:20 AM
Oligonicella said...: Big Mike:
Biden thinks of himself as an empathetic individual with a rare ability to connect with the common man.

All "empaths" think that.; 4/17/24, 11:21 AM
Joe Smith said...: Flip a coin on policy matters and you will do better than Joe.

The man is a dimwit who rose to power based on luck, longevity, and a vacuous smile.

Nice work if you can get it...; 4/17/24, 11:31 AM
Old and slow said...: Offense is much cheaper than defense. Israel cannot afford to fight an endless defensive war. Also, like the IRA used to say, "we only need to get lucky once, you have to succeed every time". The current Iranian leadership needs to be stopped before it acquires nuclear weapons or it will destroy Israel. It may be that this is not possible.; 4/17/24, 11:35 AM
Old and slow said...: Blogger Mark said...

Yes, but let's not pretend that Trump would have the U.S. respond. Israel isn't the U.S. America First! And no more forever wars. And let's not start WW3...

You say that as though "not starting WW3" is a bad thing. I don't think that the US should be waging war on Iran. I do think that we should step back and respect whatever response the Israeli's deem appropriate. They were attacked. We were not. Iran as it is currently constituted is a threat to the region and the world.; 4/17/24, 11:43 AM
Old and slow said...: William makes a great point. It is suicidal to play chicken with an adversary who really does not value self preservation (at least for it's citizens, personally the leaders clearly do look out for themselves). But what other option do the Israeli's have? I don't have an answer. They are right to defend themselves to whatever extent they need to, but ultimately it may be futile in the face of the savage hatred they face. The state of Arizona has over 30,000,000 acres of federal property (BLM, national forest, etc). I would would be delighted to turn this over to the state of Israel so they could relocate. Imagine what they could accomplish! Yeah, it's a silly fantasy. Much the same as dreams of a peaceful middle east.; 4/17/24, 11:56 AM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: Israel got its lick in on April 1, killing several Iranian military commanders who were involved in planning attacks against Israel. That’s the “win” - not just defeating the missile attack. The hypothetical attack on the U.S. doesn’t fit. Let’s say President Carter’s Operation Eagle Claw had succeeded in freeing the hostages held by Iran, and Iran had responded with an ineffective attack on U.S. soil. Would we have been satisfied with the win?

Call me old-school, but it seems to me that the question of how Israel might hit back against Iran should be how such an attack would advance Israel’s war aims of freeing the Israelis being held hostage and destroying Hamas. President Biden is not asking Israel to do nothing. If Israel continues to hit Iranian assets in the Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza theaters of war, we can applaud them for their “restraint.”; 4/17/24, 11:59 AM
Wince said...: Maybe if we started calling the Republic of Iran the “Republican Iran” a confused Biden might attack Iran, or at least try to imprison their leaders?; 4/17/24, 12:03 PM
Inevitability said...: To be fair I would point out that Israel bombed Iran’s embassy in Damascus killing a top general and other Iranians. The embassy was technically Iranian territory so Iran had to respond. Iran telegraphed the drone attack so that all the drones
were shot down and no one was hurt.; 4/17/24, 12:25 PM
Inevitability said...: To be fair I would point out that Israel bombed Iran’s embassy in Damascus killing a top general and other Iranians. The embassy was technically Iranian territory so Iran had to respond. Iran telegraphed the drone attack so that all the drones
were shot down and no one was hurt.; 4/17/24, 12:25 PM
Inevitability said...: To be fair I would point out that Israel bombed Iran’s embassy in Damascus killing a top general and other Iranians. The embassy was technically Iranian territory so Iran had to respond. Iran telegraphed the drone attack so that all the drones
were shot down and no one was hurt.; 4/17/24, 12:26 PM
Howard said...: If President Joseph Biden followed the advice of you people commenting here for a kinetic response to Iran it would most certainly throw the world into economic chaos gasoline would shoot up to $10/gallon and a Trump re-election would be assured.

This is the real reason why you want Biden to make a huge mistake.

You would burn the world down just so Donald could stand on top of the rubble. Such as the state of your mental disease.; 4/17/24, 12:52 PM
Big Mike said...: In any case, Iran is not an enemy of the USA.

@RCOCEAN II, tell that to the American diplomats who survived 444 days in captivity thanks to Iran’s storming of our embassy in 1979.

… the IDF is OUR "Proxy-army" and has killed over 33000 innocent Gazans …

To believe this one has to believe (1) that the IDF has killed no Hamas terrorists, er, “freedom fighters”; (2) the numbers as presented by an organization allied with and under the thumb of Hamas are anything like accurate; and (3) there is any such thing as an “innocent Gazan” above the age of 5. When the mothers of Hamas terrorists congratulate their sons on having raped and murdered Jewish girls, the question of what constitutes “innocent” is a matter open for debate.; 4/17/24, 12:56 PM
Yancey Ward said...: "The hypothetical attack on the U.S. doesn’t fit. Let’s say President Carter’s Operation Eagle Claw had succeeded in freeing the hostages held by Iran, and Iran had responded with an ineffective attack on U.S. soil. Would we have been satisfied with the win?"

No one can probably be more dismissive of Jimmy Carter than I am, but the answer to your question at the end is, "No." Had Iran responded to a successful hostage rescue with a drone and missile attack on the U.S. mainland, or even just some ships in the Indian Ocean, I can assure that even Jimmy Carter would have struck back hard with a second operation of some sort. Let me put it in a way that even you might understand- are we taking the "win" right now with the Houtis? No, we aren't- it is a repeated tit for tat.; 4/17/24, 1:00 PM
John henry said...: Blogger Inevitability said...

Iran telegraphed the drone attack so that all the drones were shot down and no one was hurt.

that is something that makes no sense to me. I could see them firing off one cruise missile on that basis.

But it sounds like they pretty much emptied their inventory. Why do that just to save face?

John Henry; 4/17/24, 1:20 PM
Michael said...: Maybe one missile a day into Teheran would do the trick. Or perhaps every other day. Or random days. No need for 300.; 4/17/24, 1:33 PM
Gusty Winds said...: Blogger Howard said...
If President Joseph Biden followed the advice of you people commenting here for a kinetic response to Iran it would most certainly throw the world into economic chaos gasoline would shoot up to $10/gallon and a Trump re-election would be assured.

This is the real reason why you want Biden to make a huge mistake.

I'm a full MAGA Trump supporter, and I don't want Biden to attack Iran. Mostly because there is no benefit in escalating conflict. Also, Biden, his Sec of State, and Sec of Defense are complete morons.; 4/17/24, 1:47 PM
n.n said...: A legacy of premature withdrawal, evacuation, and splooging stooges, too.

That said, look out for the next volley.; 4/17/24, 3:40 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: By "The world" the Federalist means Israel.

LOL; 4/17/24, 3:55 PM
Mr Wibble said...: But it sounds like they pretty much emptied their inventory. Why do that just to save face?

A response needs to be large enough to be considered a serious threat, with the implication that you can send even more next time, and without any warning. A single missile would have appeared weak. Additionally, a barrage the large allows the Iranians to test the Israeli response, as well as the response of neighboring countries.; 4/17/24, 4:07 PM
tommyesq said...: Blogger Inevitability said...

Iran telegraphed the drone attack so that all the drones were shot down and no one was hurt.

that is something that makes no sense to me. I could see them firing off one cruise missile on that basis.

But it sounds like they pretty much emptied their inventory. Why do that just to save face?

John Henry

My concern is that this did not empty their inventory, but was instead a sufficient number to ascertain and work towards overcoming Israel's defenses and that they have another bunch ready to go when they believe they can get more through. Any evidence that their cupboards are dry?; 4/17/24, 4:32 PM
tommyesq said...: If President Joseph Biden followed the advice of you people commenting here for a kinetic response to Iran it would most certainly throw the world into economic chaos gasoline would shoot up to $10/gallon and a Trump re-election would be assured.

Well, then fuck Israeli women and children, Howard doesn't want to pay too much for gas or face any more mean tweets!; 4/17/24, 4:34 PM
chickelit said...: Iranian-born Valerie Jarrett sweet-talked Obama into being soft on Iran. There really is no other explanation. She still has Obama's ear and to the extent that Obama influences the Biden Administration, she is there at his side, going to bat for both the mullahs and the moola.; 4/17/24, 9:02 PM
Cappy said...: Joe would surrender unconditionally, then head up a Vichy like regime.; 4/18/24, 4:30 AM
Rusty said...: Gusty Winds said...
"Blogger Howard said...
If President Joseph Biden followed the advice of you people commenting here for a kinetic response to Iran it would most certainly throw the world into economic chaos gasoline would shoot up to $10/gallon and a Trump re-election would be assured.

I don't know if anyone has ever told you this before, but. Shut up, stupid!
Your vote is the reason we're in this mess. None of this would be even a blip on the horizon if you had voted for anyone other than Biden. Gas lighting only works on the gullible.
Before you installed our national dementia patient this country was energy independent.

This is the real reason why you want Biden to make a huge mistake."

No. Biden is the mistake. He's gonna get us involved one way or another. Why? Because he's thick, like you.; 4/18/24, 9:00 AM
Witness said...: if we had bombed one of their embassies first, he might; 4/18/24, 1:13 PM