The official Defense Department statementabout yesterday's U. S. airstrikes in Syria says "the operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and Coalition personnel," but it also sends another unambiguous message. The strikes were against "infrastructure" rather than the "Iranian-backed militant groups" at a "border control point", while those militants had previously attacked not buildings but "American and Coalition personnel." Further, the conclusion that "we have acted in a deliberate manner" may mean "carefully considered" or "intentional". Thus, in contrast to "deliberate" Americans, the statement constructs the militants – and by extension Iran – as implicitly careless and uncontrolled in their direct attacks on people rather than "facilities". (Andrew Shields, #111words, 26 February 2021)
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