Joe Scarborough, Super Hawk!
Reacting to the drone attack on US troops in Jordan by Iranian proxies that killed three soldiers and wounded 25-30 others, on today's Morning Joe Scarborough called for direct strikes against Iran itself.
As Scarborough put it to NBC analyst and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe James Stavridis:
"How much longer is the United States going to allow its troops to be shot at by people who are being funded by Iran? At what point do we not just go to the source of the problem, which has been the source of the problem since 1979, and go to Iran? If Iran, if Iran wants to continue killing Americans, or trying to kill Americans, should we not at least sink one of their ships? Should we not at least blow up their air force? Should we not at least blow up their oil fields? Pick one of the three. I don't care."
In response, Stavridis literally chuckled at Scarborough's bravado. He recommended first going after Iranian proxies, and attacking Iran directly only if that doesn't "have the intended effect."
Scarborough's bellicose bent toward Iran is in keeping with his boasts that have earned him our moniker of "Macho Joe."
Among other examples of Scarborough's manly manliness, Joe has vowed that if he came across a Capitol tourist snapping photos somewhere Scarborough didn't like, he would tell the offending tourist to put the camera down, or "I'm gonna make you eat it." One tough hombre, that Scarborough!
With his threat today, Joe's doubtlessly got the Iranian mullahs quaking in their robes!
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
1/29/24
6:03 am ETMIKA BRZEZINSKI: We begin this morning with the deaths of three U.S. service members in northeast Jordan. It happened yesterday at a logistics support base for the U.S. military near Jordan's border with Syria. A drone packed with explosives struck near a shelter where American troops were sleeping, killing three and injuring more than 30.
President Biden released a statement shortly after, reading in part, quote, while we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq. We will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Let's bring in right now --with us, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, retired four star Navy admiral, James Stavridis. He is chief international analyst for NBC News. Admiral, thank you so much for being with us.
Last week, I brought up a very simple metaphor about a guy who sends people from a house across the street, coming over and constantly stealing things from your house or breaking windows in your house. We said, "What do you do? You do, you go take out the house across the street. Tell them you'll call the cops or something.
In this case, I just, I wonder, how much longer is the United States going to allow its troops to be shot at by people who are being funded by Iran? At what point do we not just go to the source of the problem, which has been the source of the problem since 1979, and go to Iran?
If Iran, if Iran wants to continue killing Americans, or trying to kill Americans, should we not at least sink one of their ships? Should we not at least blow up their air force? Should we not at least blow up their oil fields? Pick one of the three. I don't care.
JAMES STAVRIDIS: [Chuckles] When this occurred, after the blow to my heart of learning that we lost three of our best and 25 to 30 wounded, 10 evacuated, meaning they're at risk of life-threatening wounds, this is attack number 160 or so.
So Joe, I am one who is always, let's try the diplomacy. Let's try the incremental steps here. I think we are at the point where what is necessary is a hammer blow against the proxies. I'll expand on that in one moment.
If that doesn't have the intended effect, then yes, it's time to go after Iran.
