The Republican House Speaker, Mike Johnson from Louisiana, is pushing for President Biden to dismiss any current restrictions on U.S. lethal aid to Israel, and expedite the delivery of previously withheld assistance. This comes after a recent attack on an American military base in Iraq. Johnson stressed on Tuesday morning that the U.S. should make no hesitations in defending our troops and allies, especially at a time when Israel faces threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.
As per Johnson’s strong recommendation, measures against Iran, if they conduct unwarranted assaults against Israel or American points of interest, would be addressed with compelling force. He proposed that America and its allies and partners in the area should together strongly resist Iran and its terror associates, to send an undeniable message against their harmful activities.
Mike Johnson is fervently appealing to President Biden to increase support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fight against Hamas. He insinuated that the aggression from Iran might be a direct consequence of the Biden-Harris administration’s continued pressure campaign against Israel over the past few months.
The speaker highlighted that it’s high time for the Biden administration to recognize the catastrophic consequences of their choices. It is of utmost importance now to offer full-fledged backing to Israel. He urged President Biden to release all previously delayed and withheld weaponry to Israel immediately, so it can protect its citizens and deter Iran.
Johnson warned that incidents of Iran engaging in or supporting any attacks should be met decisively with economic, military and international ramifications. Unfortunately, the response from the White House National Security Council spokesperson, Sean Savett, to Fox News portrays the matter quite differently, reflecting the disturbing practices of the Biden administration.
Sean Savett informed Fox News that, ‘The U.S. commitment to Israel’s security remains steadfast and unswerving.’ He referred to the frightful strikes by Hamas on Oct. 7 and stated they’ve been trying to make sure Israel has what it needs to keep itself safe from such instances. This statement is far removed from the dire reality on the ground.
The administration’s claims of support for Israel escalated significantly when Biden announced his historic decision to direct the U.S. military to shield Israel when Iran launched, as an unheralded act, hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel in April. Biden’s declaration about being willing to bolster the defense of Israel in case of future attacks feels disingenuous considering the current viewpoint.
Contrary to the assurances from the administration, the situation escalated further after an Iran-backed militia launched rockets at the al-Asad Airbase in Iraq on Monday, causing injuries to several U.S. personnel, as reported by Fox News. The Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, discussed the incident in a conference call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Secretary Austin and Minister Gallant conveyed their concern over Iran’s destabilizing role in the region, agreeing on the dangerous escalation demonstrated by the attack on the U.S. forces stationed at al-Asad Airbase in Iraq. Austin updated Gallant on the altered U.S. military posture in the Middle East in the wake of this escalating situation.
The unsuccessful foreign policy approach pursued by the Biden administration continues to face criticism from Republican circles. Commentators charge that the current government is fuelling Middle East tension by failing to provide adequate support to Israel, the U.S.’s closest ally in the region, as it carries out an invasion of Gaza in an effort to eliminate Hamas.
Deepening the crisis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Biden administration of denying critical lethal aid to his armed forces back in June. Reports suggest that the Biden administration put a pause on the delivery of bombs to Israel in May further complicating matters.
The ambiguity in Biden’s stance was brought to the fore during an interview with CNN when he threatened to further withhold military supplies. Biden asserted that if Israeli forces continued their operations into Rafah, a strategic point, America would halt the supply of weapons usually provided to combat such situations, thereby criticizing Israel’s strong defense measures.
According to the President, ‘If they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, that deal with that problem.’ In defending his stance, Biden demonstrated an underwhelming support for Israel’s security efforts, essentially putting a question mark on longstanding U.S.-Israel defense ties.
The validity of Netanyahu’s claim about insufficient armament aid from the U.S. gained strength when the Pentagon withheld a shipment of a 2,000-pound bomb to Israel near the end of last month. Major General Pat Ryder confirmed during a Pentagon press briefing, that the U.S. had indeed stalled the delivery of critical military equipment.
This withholding of equipment stands in stark contrast with America’s historic commitment to Israel’s defense, and only further underlines the missteps of the Biden administration. Despite clearly growing threats from Iran-aligned militias and other aggressors like Hamas and Hezbollah, the incumbent government’s approach to handling such perilous situations seems to be jeopardizing not just Israeli, but also American security in the region.
The Republican lawmaker’s call for Biden to expedite previously withheld aid and release any holds on lethal aid to Israel starkly highlights the dire state of affairs. Despite their public assertions, it’s clear that the Biden-Harris administration’s actions continue to raise concerns among allies about America’s commitment to maintaining regional stability and security.
Biden’s Tepid Support for Israel: A Threat to U.S. Security? appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
