Former National Security Council chief of staff Fred Fleitz and former U.S. Secretary of Veteran Affairs Robert Wilkie told Newsmax's "American Agenda" on Thursday that President Joe Biden negatively impacts American credibility and global security.
When asked whether Biden has squandered American credibility, Fleitz said, "Iran didn't just fire missiles into Pakistan; they fired them into Syria and into Iraq. It threatened the U.S. Consulate in Iraq and a U.S. base."
Fleitz emphasized the significance of recent missile strikes against the Houthis, stating, "The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that the U.S. warned the Houthis before we conducted the airstrikes so they could evacuate." He argued that this approach could be interpreted as a sign of weakness, contributing to the "surge" in instability in the region.
Wilkie, addressing the impact on global security and the United States, highlighted the danger of the U.S. being perceived as weak, saying, "Anytime the United States is viewed as weak and viewed as having feckless and irresponsible leadership, that's a threat to the global order."
A former undersecretary of defense, Wilkie acknowledged the complexities between Iran and Pakistan but expressed concern about the distractibility of the national security team at the White House.
He criticized the decision to warn the Houthis before airstrikes, calling it "malpractice of the first order" and emphasizing that it portrays the U.S. engaging in "foreign policy social work" rather than protecting its interests.
"We're sending missiles into the middle of the desert in the early morning hours guaranteed not to hurt anyone. And at the same time, the second busiest shipping lanes on the planet are threatened. This is more of foreign policy social work as opposed to foreign policy that protects the interests of the United States and protects our soldiers and sailors overseas," Wilkie said.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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