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Tags: blaine holt | syria | iran | airstrikes | militia entities | attacks | u.s.

Blaine Holt to Newsmax: Strikes in Syria a 'Very Light Response'

By    |   Friday, 27 October 2023 10:38 AM EDT

The United States strike on weapons and ammunition facilities in Syria on Friday marked a "very light response" to the attacks on U.S. forces by Iranian-backed militia entities, retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt tells Newsmax.

"It was a very light response; it might be the right response," Holt, a Newsmax contributor, said on "Wake Up America." "We don't know. It's going to take a little bit of time."

According to the Pentagon, President Joe Biden ordered strikes on the two facilities used by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and militia groups that it backs. The military also warned that the United States will take further measures if the attacks by Iranian proxies continue.

"What we did was we went in and knocked out two logistics hubs where the weapons are being stored that we know are being used to attack us," said Holt. "It's basically a warning shot off the bow that we're going to do a heck of a lot more if this continues, so now, what we have to watch is how the other players react" or if "this is a path to escalation."

"Does this tell Iran you're going to stop that right now, and then they abide by it?" said Holt. "I am also concerned about our homeland security. Do cells get activated, as a result of this?"

Meanwhile, Holt said he thinks Israel's ground war in Gaza is "imminent," as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that "they have now set the time and the manner in which they're going to start this."

Netanyahu is also under "a lot of pressure to get going," said Holt.

"The Israeli people feel like he's two weeks late in this," he added. "He's getting pressure from his armed forces. His defense chief has openly said we're ready to go [but] we're not there … so last night, they did some more skirmishes or probing attacks and shaping attacks that were of a pretty serious nature in Gaza."

However, it remains a question about whether the United States will continue to apply pressure to Israel to pull the assault back, Holt noted.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has "funded" Iran's aggressions, said Holt.

"There's $70 billion that they have invested into either turning the other way, while oil sales happen … $6 billion for five hostages, and now, we're worried about 220," he added.

Such things happen, Holt said, "because weakness gets you this, and we've seen it all through this national security team's experience."

But now, a strategy must emerge as "we've got a war in search of a strategy, and we've still got 19 small bases there that are vulnerable and are basically targets … we're not going to be introducing overwhelming force in the face of aggression," Holt said.

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Sandy Fitzgerald

Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics. 

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The United States strike on weapons and ammunition facilities in Syria on Friday marked a "very light response" to the attacks on U.S. forces by Iranian-backed militia entities, retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt tells Newsmax.
blaine holt, syria, iran, airstrikes, militia entities, attacks, u.s., biden administration, funding
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2023-38-27
Friday, 27 October 2023 10:38 AM
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