Former Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie, in an interview on Newsmax on Thursday, highlighted concerns about the Biden administration's response to recent escalations in the Middle East and emphasized the diminishing value of deterrence in the absence of a robust reaction to Houthi attacks.
"The problem in the Middle East is that each day that goes by and there's no devastating or overwhelming response to these attacks, the value of deterrence lessens," Wilkie stated on "American Agenda." "If the Biden administration is aware of all of the high-value Iranian Revolutionary Guard targets that were in the area right after this attack, Biden has given him so much time; they're all back in Iran."
The focus of Wilkie's critique was the Houthi attacks originating from Yemen, which pose a threat to the free flow of commerce and violate international law, according to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The Red Sea, a critical waterway, has been essential to freedom of navigation and international trade, Austin said.
Wilkie expressed concerns over the failure to address the Houthi attacks effectively.
"Well, we've already failed on that count. We've allowed these Houthi brigands to hold hostage the second busiest shipping lanes on the planet. This says a lot about the Biden administration that the secretary of defense could disappear for three or four days, and nobody knows it.
"That's what happens when you have amateurs running national security," he 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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