Biden’s ‘Proportionate’ Defense of U.S. Troops Has Failed

null Jan. 1, 2024 11:32 am ETDefense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks in Tel Aviv, Dec. 18. Photo: Maya Alleruzzo/Associated PressOn Christmas Day, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that U.S. military forces conducted “proportionate” strikes against Iraqi militias that attacked and wounded American service members (“Biden Endangers U.S. Troops,” Review & Outlook, Dec. 27). The statement defines the equivocating, timid and wholly unsuccessful strategy of the Biden administration, but also of successive administrations for years.After nearly daily attacks on U.S. forces over months, resulting in dozens of wounded Americans, “proportionate” ought to have been revealed as having no deterrent value. It is past time for the U.S. to signal to those who attack our forces that they will pay disproportionately and severely. Continued attacks will see increasingly robust spankings. In this case, if the Iraqi government won’t support our actions, remove our troops. Rope-a-dope tactics fail ou