GOP Lawmaker: US Deterrence in the Middle East Is Failing

‘The reason is, we’re not hitting back on things that Iran cares about. All roads lead back to Tehran,’ Rep. Mike Waltz said.

Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) speaks during a press conference on Capitol Hill with members of The American Legion in Washington on June 16, 2021. Samuel Corum/Getty Images

A GOP congressman on the House Armed Services Committee said that the Biden administration’s response to attacks in the Red Sea shows that U.S. deterrence in the Middle East is failing, which allows Iran to exploit that weakness to undermine U.S. interests in the region.

During an interview with Fox News on Dec. 26, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) raised concerns regarding the U.S. response to multiple attacks targeting American forces in the Middle East, given the large numbers of U.S. troops and assets deployed in the region.