If Republicans want an honest debate about US policy toward Israel, there are legitimate differences the American people should hear. But this screed is just a sloppy collection of libelous accusations against the Biden-Harris Administration and VP Harris in particular.
For voters who care about Israel, these are the three most salient FACTS.
1. The Biden-Harris Admin is the first in history to deploy US forces while Israel was at war to directly protect Israelis from an incoming attack, saving countless lives during Iran’s April attack.
2. Biden-Harris has approved more aid to Israel over a 6-month period ($15 billion) than any other Admin. Harris’s National Security Advisor Phil Gordon has been clear publicly that VP Harris does not support an arms embargo on Israel.
3. It was under the Trump Admin in 2018 that PM Netanyahu agreed that Qatar would provide $30 million in literal suitcases of cash to Hamas every month. This was done in part bc of a belief that a stronger Hamas would undermine a Palestinian state. nytimes.com/2023/12/10/wor…
President Trump is a showman. His performative gestures of support for Israel are theater. When it is crunch time and Israel’s security has been threatened, VP Harris has always supported tangible assistance to the Israeli people.
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THREAD on this article from Martin Indyk, who argues that the Middle East has become less important to United States and therefore should reduce its commitment to the region.
1. I don’t disagree with the premise, which was developed by @tcwittes and Mara Karlin in a Foreign Affairs article last year. Indeed, I have a similar piece coming out in the Texas National Security Review, and a volume I co-edited with Dafna Rand hits many of the same themes.
2. But there are a number of problems with the execution of the argument. For one, Indyk fails to differentiate between US military and non-military investments in the ME. While it’s true that US is over-committed in military terms, it’s not true in a diplomatic sense.
1. In a statement saturated with lies, perhaps the biggest one is that in whitewashing Khashoggi’s murder Trump is putting America first. Impunity for the murder of a US resident will only invite further abuse of Americans abroad.
2. Autocrats and warlords now know they can get away with murder (literally) as long as they cater to Trump’s interests. Trump can be bought off one way or another and virtually anyone is for sale for the right price.
3. Now Trump claims that the “price” he is getting for Khashoggi is worth it. Billions of dollars in arms sales, reasonable oil prices, an ally against Iran, and a partnership that supports Israeli interests. A veritable king’s ransom in strategic cooperation.