SUDDEN ESCALATION – OVERNIGHT:  We are reminded that foreign policy has a nasty way of catching our attention, even when we don't welcome it.  From Fox: 

The U.S. military has conducted defensive precision airstrikes against three facilities near the Iraq-Syria border region Sunday evening.

According to Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby, the facilities are used by several Iran-backed militia groups engaged in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks against U.S. personnel and facilities in Iraq, including Kata'ib Hezbollah (KH) and Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS).

"As demonstrated by this evening's strikes, President Biden has been clear that he will act to protect U.S. personnel. Given the ongoing series of attacks by Iran-backed groups targeting U.S. interests in Iraq, the President directed further military action to disrupt and deter such attacks," Kirby added. "The United States took necessary, appropriate, and deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation - but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message."

A U.S. defense official with knowledge of the strikes told Fox News that US Air Force F-15 and F-16s were used in the operation. The strikes took placed at approximately 6 p.m. eastern time.
At least one facility used by Iran’s militia forces to launch and recover drones was destroyed, the official added. Recent strikes by the crude drones have targeted Americans in Baghdad and Erbil in northern Iraq.

The official said he does not expect "a lot of casualties" from the Iranian-backed forces because of the time of the strike.

All U.S. jets returned to base without a problem, the official added.

COMMENT:  On this we support the president.  It must be made clear to Iran that their behavior is unacceptable, and that we will take action to counter it.  There may well be a need for further strikes like this, and then we will see whether Mr. Biden has the support of his own party in his acts of deterrence, or whether he will have to depend on Republican support.  My bet is on the latter.

June 27, 2021