Morning Wire Middle East Escalation & UN’s Mass Migration Budget | 1.29.24
Jan 29, 2024
Tensions escalate after a drone strike in Jordan takes the lives of three U.S. soldiers, raising questions about military strategy against Iranian-backed militias. Meanwhile, the U.N. faces scrutiny for its role in rising illegal immigration as border encounters spike. The political landscape is heated, with calls for decisive action from the administration amid growing pressure. Additionally, the repercussions of a landmark jury decision add fuel to the fire, complicating legal troubles for prominent candidates in an election year.
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Drone Attack in Jordan
- Three U.S. soldiers were killed and 25 wounded in a drone attack on a U.S. base in Jordan.
- This marks the first American casualties since Iran-backed militias began attacking U.S. installations.
US Military Strategy in Middle East
- The U.S. military typically telegraphs strikes to minimize casualties, allowing Iranian personnel to evacuate.
- This "soft" strategy aimed to wear down attack capabilities but has been criticized as ineffective.
Record Migrant Encounters
- December 2024 saw a record 302,000 migrant encounters at the U.S. border, surpassing the previous record of 269,000.
- This included 19 individuals on the terror watch list, compared to 23 in all of 2021.