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Russia has been a steadfast ally of the Assad regime for years, but it wasn’t until September 2015 that Russian forces began active military operations in Syria. At that time, Assad’s army controlled only about 20% of the country. Thanks to Russian airstrikes and support, Assad was able to regain much of his lost territory and tighten his grip on power. But with the ongoing war with Ukraine, Russia’s focus in Syria has been diverted and its influence weakened.
Then there is Iran. The Iranian regime - which calls for Death to America - has long been a key player in funding proxy wars throughout the region, notably backing Hamas and Hezbollah in their ongoing fight against Israel. Since 2014, Iran has had boots on the ground in Syria, supplying weapons and military support to Assad. The fall of Assad’s regime marks a decline in Iran’s influence in the region.
We must be clear eyed though: when there is a sudden change in foreign regimes, power vacuums tend to emerge. In many of these cases, dangerous actors take charge and are just as bad - if not worse - than the dictators they replaced. During volatile political situations, terrorists who threaten America view this an opportunistic time.
With this backdrop and weak Biden-Harris policies, Republicans in Congress continue to take action to protect America. This past week, we passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to ensure our troops have the resources they need and to bolster our national defense. This is a major victory for our military, our national security, and for Iowa’s role in keeping America strong. The NDAA provides a pay raise for Iowa’s 11,000 servicemembers, improves housing and expands childcare and employment opportunities for military families.
Passage of the NDAA comes despite a majority of Democrats voting against it. Why did so many oppose it?
Because the NDAA included a commonsense provision banning the Pentagon providing healthcare plans that cover the costs of gender dysphoria treatments for those under 18. Such treatments could result in sterilization of minors. The Defense Department should have no business using taxpayer dollars to do this and it is a disconcerting so many Democrats cannot see that, especially with many countries already reversing course due to lack of medical clarity.
We look forward to having President Trump back in the White House to assert strong America First leadership. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, America’s position in the world was weakened. Under President Trump, our allies will respect us and our enemies will fear us once again.
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