US launches airstrikes against Iranian militant groups, but in a 'calibrated' way

+ democratic backsliding in El Salvador US Edition - Today's top story: US launches retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria − a national security expert explains the message they send [View in browser]( US Edition | 3 February 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( President Joe Biden promised last week that he would respond to an Iranian-backed militant group’s drone strike on U.S. troops in Jordan on Jan. 28. And late Friday afternoon, just hours after the remains of the three young American soldiers killed by the drone strike returned to the U.S., Biden announced that he had authorized retaliatory strikes, hitting multiple military command centers and other targets in Iraq and Syria. The strikes could be seen as a warning sign that the war in the Middle East − and U.S. engagement in it − is now set to rapidly escalate. But that might not be the case. The strikes appear to have been [carefully measured and proportional in response](, explains Gregory Treverton, a national security scholar at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. The U.S. also, importantly, did not strike Iranian soil. “Overall, it is a calibrated measure that plainly is not going to entirely degrade the military capacity of any of these groups. But it should still have a pretty significant effect and weaken their military capabilities, at least to some extent,” Treverton writes. This week we also liked articles about a speech President Joe Biden delivered in a [Black South Carolina church](, finding [beauty in an excruciatingly slow song](, and the [origins of the alphabet](. [ [Get a global perspective on the news, with the best of The Conversation’s journalism from around the world, twice weekly.]( ] Amy Lieberman Politics + Society Editor President Joe Biden attends the arrival of the remains of three U.S. service members killed in a drone attack in Jordan. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images [US launches retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria − a national security expert explains the message they send]( Gregory F. Treverton, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences The US attacks on military sites in Iraq and Syria are unlikely to further escalate conflict in the Middle East, he writes. A crowd gathers around the organ at St. Burchardi Church in Halberstadt, Germany, to witness an October 2013 note change. Peter Förster/Picture Alliance via Getty Images [In an ancient church in Germany, a 639-year organ performance of a John Cage composition is about to have its next note change]( Rob Haskins, University of New Hampshire The new note will be sustained for a relatively ‘brief’ two years. President Joe Biden at Mother Emanuel AME Church in South Carolina on Jan. 8, 2024. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images [Biden is campaigning against the Lost Cause and the ‘poison’ of white supremacy in South Carolina]( Joseph Patrick Kelly, College of Charleston During a campaign speech in South Carolina, President Biden made it clear that he is not only running against Donald Trump but also against white supremacy. - [El Salvador voters set to trade democracy for promise of security in presidential election]( Mneesha Gellman, Emerson College Mass arrests and the suspension of constitutional rights have been a feature of President Nayib Bukele’s tenure. A fresh mandate from voters will likely entrench his hardline approach. - [Eating disorders are the most lethal mental health conditions – reconnecting with internal body sensations can help reduce self-harm]( April Smith, Auburn University Many people with eating disorders die from suicide. Improving perception of internal body states, or interoception, can help everyone better care for their own bodies. - [Who created the alphabet? A historian describes the millennia-long story of the ABCs]( Jane Sancinito, UMass Lowell Turns out ‘A’ didn’t have to be the first letter in the alphabet, nor ‘Z’ the last. - [How can I get ice off my car? An engineer who studies airborne particles shares some quick and easy techniques]( Suresh Dhaniyala, Clarkson University When you’re running late in the winter, you don’t want to have to spend time scraping frost off your windshield. Try some expert-recommended techniques instead. - [From throwing soup to suing governments, there’s strategy to climate activism’s seeming chaos − here’s where it’s headed next]( - [An independent commission is racing to redraw Detroit’s voting maps under a federal court order − but the change may not elect more Black candidates]( - [With the economy looking bright enough, the Federal Reserve seems content to play the waiting game]( - [Teens on social media need both protection and privacy – AI could help get the balance right]( - [Why treason is a key topic in Trump’s 14th Amendment appeal to the Supreme Court]( - [Supreme Court word-count limits for lawyers, explained in 1,026 words]( - [Longtime NRA chief Wayne LaPierre is leaving the gun group in trouble but still powerful]( - [The opening of India’s new Rama temple made waves – but here’s what the central ritual actually meant]( - [This course examines how conflicts arise over borders]( - [Training an animal? An ethicist explains how and why your dog − but not your frog − can be punished]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( While appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 31, what did Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg say to the families of online child abuse victims? - A. "I hear the hurt in your voices, and I want you to know that it's valid" - B. "We're here for you" - C. "I’m sorry for everything you have all been through" - D. "It’s complicated" [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? Follow us: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon](• [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](