President Joe Biden's approach to conflicts in the Middle East runs the risk of a widening crisis, warned Douglas Schoen, who served as an adviser to President Bill Clinton.
Middle Eastern tensions have flared in recent months, sparking concerns about the potential for a wider war involving the United States. The Hamas militant group's October 7 attack on Israel exacerbated tensions in the region and the conflict has spread to other areas in the region, including Iraq, Yemen and the Red Sea, where Houthi rebels have launched attacks against commercial ships.
Tensions remain high between the U.S. and Iran, with concerns of escalation rising after recent attacks. Houthi rebels have warned that "all force" would be used to respond to the U.S. strikes. On Saturday, at least two U.S. soldiers in Iraq suffered injuries after a base was struck by missiles, which U.S. officials said were fired by Iranian-backed militias. Last week, Houthi rebels launched a missile that hit a U.S.-owned ship.
Biden has sought to show American strength in dealing with the flare-ups, pledging support for Israel following October 7 while seeking to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza amid Israel's ground invasion. Biden ordered air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen in response to attacks on international shipping.
Schoen, a Democratic political consultant who has been critical of his party's more progressive wing, voiced criticisms of Biden's approach to the conflict in an opinion piece titled "Biden's failure to deter Iran risks World War III in the Middle East" published by The Hill on Monday morning, written with Saul Mangel, a senior strategist at Schoen Cooperman Research.
In the article, Schoen and Mangel warned that the U.S. risks "sleepwalking towards a full-blown world war" amid a threat of potential escalation of regional conflicts.
They praised Biden for ordering "the largest show of force in support of Israel since 1973" following Hamas' attack but argued that the efforts failed, pointing to the spread of fighting across the region.
"Biden's failure to deter Iran—the architect of virtually all of the conflict in the region—has now led to direct American involvement and increasingly, the risk of widening the war in the Middle East," they warned.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment.
The warning comes just days after Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian blamed the U.S. for the rising tensions, telling journalist Fareed Zakaria last week that Tehran would "retaliate to" any "unconstructive" behaviors from the U.S.
Biden has faced domestic pressure over his handling of international conflicts, as he seeks to strike a balance between responding with strength and retaining support among progressives, who are generally more critical of U.S. involvement in overseas affairs.
He defended the strikes against Houthi rebels, arguing that their attacks "endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners and our partners, jeopardized trade and threatened freedom of navigation."
The president also told reporters earlier in January that he privately delivered a message to Iran about Houthi attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea. He said he does not believe the U.S. is involved in a proxy war with Iran, pledging that the U.S. and allies would "respond to the Houthis if they continue this outrageous behavior" during an event in Pennsylvania last week.
"We delivered it privately and we're confident we're well-prepared," he said.
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Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
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