Retired Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer, speaking on Newsmax on Saturday, addressed the mounting tensions as Israel contemplates a potential strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities in response to the severity of the Iranian aggression.
During a press conference on Friday, the president issued a terse warning to Iran regarding the potential strike against Israel: “Don’t,” as reported by CNN. During President Joe Biden’s perceived weak warning to Iran, Shaffer highlighted a crucial moment in the region’s geopolitical landscape.
Iran’s Nuclear Sites (Credits: VOA News)
“Well, they did,” Shaffer commented. “I mean, that’s the bottom line. And as I said… nobody takes Joe Biden seriously. He would have been better off saying nothing. The bottom line is, I think, just the way he said that encouraged the response from Iran.”
“When Joe Biden says he’s trying to deter something, it’s almost inevitably going to happen,” he added. “If Biden continues to show weakness and have a tepid response,” he continued, “I think it’s only going to encourage more direct aggression by the Iranians here in the homeland, as well as against our interest overseas.
Because at this point, I think this is the best shot the Iranians have because they know what’s coming in November. This is the best shot. The Iranians have to do some strategic things they’ve wanted to do for a long time.”
Retired Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer (Credits: Daily Mail)
Asked about potential Israeli casualties resulting from the incoming Iranian drone strike, Shaffer suggested, “I think at this point, it’s the Iranians pushing the bubble seeing if the bubble’s gonna pop. I don’t think it’s going to pop — at this point.
I think this is a probing action, strategic probing action, I guess is the best term I can come up with. It meets the circumstances, and I don’t think there are going to be casualties.”
Despite limited concerns about casualties, Shaffer expressed confidence in Israel’s defensive capabilities but warned of the possibility of a remarkable Israeli retaliation.
“This does open the door for a serious and aggressive Israeli response,” he cautioned, underscoring Israel’s longstanding objective to target Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Shaffer elaborated, “Remember one of the things the Israelis have wanted to do. They said it, as a matter of policy, is to get at directly, the Iranian nuclear program.
The Iranians have to be very careful here because if they open that door, they may lose the very program they’ve been trying to protect from the Israelis and keep going as a part of their leverage against the West and the Saudis.”
