Florida’s three most high-profile Republicans are in lockstep regarding the conflict in the Middle East.
As 181 ballistic missiles hit Israeli cities from Iran, Gov. Ron DeSantis and U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott are riled up and promising unstinting support for the Benjamin Netanyahu regime ahead of a likely retaliation.
“The attacks against Israel represent a continuation — and escalation — of Iran’s decades-long antagonism to one of our closest allies,” the Governor said Tuesday on social media.
“Iran seeks the complete destruction of Israel and the elimination of the Jewish people. Israel has not only a right, but a duty, to defend itself and its people from the Iranian terror state. Iran is the central node of the global jihad. Its terror project relies on civilized countries responding with weakness. When confronted with strength, the Islamists in Tehran fold. Israel should not be hampered from mounting a robust response by the US Government.”
Florida’s senior Senator had similar thoughts.
“Iran regime wants to destroy Israel so they can become the dominant power in the Middle East,” Rubio suggested on X. “Appeasement will not change their behavior. Only threatening the survival of the regime through maximum pressure and direct and disproportionate measures has a chance to influence and alter their criminal activities.”
Scott was also unstinting in his support for Israel, and blamed in part President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for Iran’s aggression.
“Four years ago, Iran was weak, broke and powerless. Today, after years of appeasement from the Biden-Harris administration that has given the evil Iranian regime access to billions of dollars, we watch in horror as Iran terrorizes Israel with waves of missile attacks,” Scott said.
“The Biden-Harris regime has allowed this to happen — Iran took note as they abandoned Israel and ceded to the terrorists who seek to destroy the Jewish people and anyone who supports Israel. Israel must do what it takes to defend itself. The United States must stand strong with Israel, immediately give everything it needs to respond to and end the terror of the Ayatollah and his evil regime, and be clear that Iran will pay dearly for these attacks.”
For its part, Israel vows to “take every measure necessary to protect the people of Israel,” suggesting that Tuesday’s attacks are just the beginning of a larger hot war following up lower-grade conflict in recent decades.
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