Biden amassing warships but failing to act to actually deter Iran, Hamas: Former NSC official

President Biden's deployment of carrier strike groups to the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean might be a show of force, but his actions to deter 40 Iranian-backed attacks on U.S. forces amid the Hamas invasion of Israel raise questions, a former National Security Council official told FOX News.

Richard Goldberg, who served in the Trump administration and is now a senior adviser at Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the White House is not sending any message of deterrence amid its warship rearrangements.

He responded to comments from NSC spokesman John Kirby, who told reporters the administration is sending a strong signal of deterrence and "that there have been additional attacks on our troops doesn't necessarily mean that the war is widening."

Goldberg told "The Ingraham Angle" on Tuesday that he disagreed with Kirby, positing that Biden is instead sending "messages of appeasement" as they continue to seek a nuclear deal with Tehran and apparently refuse to renege on the recent unfreezing of Iranian assets in South Korean bank accounts.

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President Joe Biden is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, in Tel Aviv. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The administration has said those funds are earmarked for and can only be used toward humanitarian means.

The White House hasn't "stopped the [Iranian] oil flow that's been going to China that they've been allowing — they haven't snapped back the UN resolution to bring back sanctions on Iran," Goldberg said.

He said the Pentagon's deployment of another carrier strike group to the region might be a show of capability, but that deterrence requires both that characteristic plus will.

"The president is amassing a lot of military capability in the region, but he has not shown the Iranians any will to actually use that capability, and therefore, he is failing to restore deterrence," he added.

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Goldberg cast criticism on the White House's negotiating tactics as it reportedly entreats the Israeli government for a three-day "pause" it claims would allow for the release of Hamas-held hostages.

Host Laura Ingraham reported Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the idea, saying he doesn't trust Hamas while adding that Biden appears to be hearing some of the "political conversation in the streets" on that issue.

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"Well, remember, this is the same White House that brokered a hostage deal paying $6 billion for five people. Who brokered that hostage deal? Qatar," Goldberg replied.

"Who is brokering this hostage deal? Qatar. Who harbors Hamas and is the sponsor of Hamas? Qatar. What are we doing here?"

Goldberg said instead of allowing Hamas to take advantage of a cease-fire to murder more innocents, the United States and Israel should demand the unconditional release of all 240 estimated hostages with the threat of applying "maximum pressure" on Doha. 

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