By Stephen Bryen, SUBSTACK 28 January 2024
Anyone who has watched the more than 150+ attacks on US bases in the Middle East, and missiles, rockets and drones fired at our warships, can only come to one conclusion: the Army, the Pentagon and Joe Biden and his administration are responsible for the latest deadly attack by a drone that killed three US soldiers and wounded another 25.
How did this come about?
Anyone, even the most casual observer, has seen that drones are a major part of modern warfare. When they are mixed with mortars, rockets and ballistic and cruise missiles, the problem is deeply compounded.
The role of the drone was clear to all in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh war where drones were used to wipe out Armenian and Armenian-proxy forces. But that was just the beginning. In Ukraine, drones of all types, including suicide drones and FPV drones, have played a huge role in the conflict.
What did the US Army do to protect our bases subjected to attacks of this kind?
For a long time, the Army did nothing. Then it sent the obsolete rapid fire last resort gun called C-RAM. In Syria the Army threw in the old Avenger system. So far as is known, it has not been effective. Only at the al-Assad base was the Patriot system installed, but it has not been enough to stop missiles and drones ramming into the base, causing “numerous” (CENTCOM’s word) casualties, mainly traumatic brain damage to troops.
Sending our troops to man foreign, poorly protected, bases is unacceptable. It is an invitation to turn our bases into hostage zones. The only sporadic and inadequate US response to the constant attacks demonstrates that the White House and Defense Department could care less about our soldiers.
It is not that we were without alternatives, at least in providing protection to our soldiers. Why, for example, are we sending the new NASAMS system to Ukraine but not providing it to our soldiers? Does Ukraine have priority over American lives?
The NASAMS-3 air defence system of the Hungarian Air Force
Why did the Army prevent and block the use of Israel’s Iron Dome system? It has two Iron Dome systems and has consistently refused to deploy them because it did not want them to work. Why? Because the Army wanted its “own” system, not some foreign implant (disregarding that half of Iron Dome is made in the USA).
It seems to me one could make the case that refusing to protect our troops is the worst thing any Secretary of Defense could possibly do. Ditto for Biden.
First recommendation, rush two Iron Dome systems from the US to the most at risk bases now!
Second recommendation, fire those army procurement people who blocked sending Iron Dome to Iraq and Syria.
Third recommendation, stop sending NASAMS and other air defenses to Ukraine and give the systems to our soldiers.
Fourth recommendation, consider closing down bases we cannot defend.
Unfortunately, things have been allowed to deteriorate to where we are now because of bad decision making, a lack of will, and a failure to go after the source of the problem, namely Iran. There are steps we can take to punish Iran, but all Biden does is hands them billions of dollars and looks the other way.
Enough.
Biden has no intention of protecting our troops or retaliating for their death and injuries.
Maybe the intention is to avoid Iron Dome falling into Muslim hands. Putting these systems in Iraq would be irresistable for e.g. Iran.