On Dec. 19, at the direction of the Commander in Chief, U.S. forces launched Operation Hawkeye Strike against Islamic State positions in central Syria, hitting more than 70 targets with over 100 precision munitions. The strikes were ordered in direct response to the Dec. 13 Palmyra ambush that killed two Iowa National Guard soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter, and they were designed to send a clear message that American blood will not be spilled without consequence. This was not a cautious press release dressed up as action — it was a purposeful, overwhelming strike to degrade ISIS’s ability to strike Americans again. Patriots should feel relief that our military acted swiftly and with lethal force to protect American lives.
Defense leaders made no apology for the operation; they called it vengeance for fallen troops and a necessary step to deny terrorists safe haven, and CENTCOM deployed fighter jets, A-10s, Apache helicopters and HIMARS to achieve the mission. Jordanian aircraft participated alongside U.S. forces, showing that regional partners are finally stepping up where weak foreign policy once allowed jihadis to regroup. For years our enemies tested American resolve while mainstream media and career bureaucrats debated semantics; under this administration, talk ends and action begins. That return to deterrence is exactly what kept our country safe for generations.
Let nobody pretend this was an impulsive escalation — it was disciplined retaliation after months of ISIS activity and an insider attack that exposed dangerous gaps. Those who howl about “escalation” would rather post virtue-signaling op-eds than stand in harm’s way with our troops; their moralizing costs American lives. Conservatives understand that peace is secured through strength, not apologies or endless investigations that paralyze commanders. The choice before us is simple: empower commanders to defend Americans, or invite more bloodshed by handcuffing them.
President Trump’s decisive use of force also sends a message to the broader region, and it comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to meet the president on December 29 to coordinate on Iran and other threats. That meeting is the right call — America and Israel share a common enemy in Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and proxy networks, and national security demands close consultation between allies. If diplomacy fails, the option of decisive military pressure must remain squarely on the table, and no congressman or pundit should be allowed to kneecap the commander in chief in the middle of a fight. The bond between our nations is a force multiplier; we should exploit it.
Congress must stop grandstanding and provide the president with the support our troops need to finish the job and deter future attacks at home. Funding, clear authorities, and a united front against terrorism are not partisan favors — they are the minimum obligations of a functioning government sworn to protect the American people. Any lawmaker who plays politics with the safety of service members should be called out by voters and held accountable at the ballot box. There is no glory in weakness, but there is honor in backing our warriors.
In the end, this operation proves a simple, old truth: America is safest when she speaks softly and carries overwhelming force. To the families of the fallen, the strike is a reminder that their sacrifice mattered and that a fighting president answered their loss with action. Conservatives must rally behind a robust foreign policy that defends our homeland, backs our allies, and crushes threats abroad so our children can live in peace. Stand proud of a nation that refuses to be carved up by terrorists and that will always answer attacks with American strength.
