Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) recently called for a “massive retaliation” against Iran in response to a series of attacks on US forces and assets in Iraq. Cotton argued that a massive response to deter Iranian aggression and attacks on US forces in the region was “long overdue.” He proposed a broad response that could involve “air, land, naval, and cyber operations” targeting Iranian assets. The Senator did not elaborate on exactly what such a response would include, however, he did point to an increase in US military presence in the region and more serious economic sanctions as possible measures. Cotton also pointed to the necessity of a firm response to act as a deterrent, to ensure that Iran “never again launches an attack on US personnel or assets.”
