Wicker: Biden’s Announcement Invites Danger
Administration’s Mixed Signals Embolden Iran
July 29, 2024
With President Joe Biden now entering his last six months in office – and the November election for his replacement looming – you can be sure Americans are not the only ones paying attention. Our adversaries are also following along.
During this period of leadership transition, the tyrants in China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea all hope to find us distracted. They see the next six months as an opening for them to assert themselves. To keep these foes in check through Inauguration Day, American leaders on both sides of the aisle must present a strong front.
Democrat Leaders Disrespect Israeli Prime Minister
Within days of the president’s decision to end his reelection campaign, the Biden administration had a chance to show strength by standing with a key ally, Israel. Unfortunately, it squandered that opportunity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington, D.C., on the invitation of congressional leaders. It was the prime minister’s fourth address to the U.S. Congress, surpassing Winston Churchill to become the world leader with the most appearances before the body. His remarks were among the most stirring and profound speeches ever delivered at a joint session of Congress.
For the most part, members demonstrated bipartisan support for our ally, but the Biden administration disrespectfully boycotted the event. Normally, the Vice President would honor her role as President of the Senate by attending a foreign leader’s speech. Instead, Vice President Harris, as well as the Senate President Pro Tempore and all cabinet officials, were absent. It is particularly disgraceful that a candidate for the highest office in the land would show such disregard for a core American relationship.
Administration Weakness Strengthens Enemies
The vice president’s behavior is merely the most recent example of the Biden administration’s failure to stand firmly with Israel. The president’s mixed signals have undercut Israel and encouraged Iran, the nation at the root of today’s conflict.
The murderous leader of Iran, the Ayatollah Khomeini, backed Hamas’ October 7 massacre. Since then, he has launched Iran’s first-ever direct assault on Israel.
Tehran has also been arming Israel’s enemies, including the Houthis, the Yemeni rebel group which has spent the past ten months barraging U.S. Navy ships in the Red Sea. The president delayed launching retaliatory strikes against the Houthis. Even then, the group was undeterred. This month, they crossed a new line. For the first time in their history, they bombed Tel Aviv.
Israel has been fighting for its right to exist. Instead of consistently backing the Jewish state, President Biden has grown increasingly preoccupied with appeasing the left wing of his party. In an election-year gimmick, he built a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza. The president claimed it would deliver aid to civilians, but it primarily wasted U.S. resources and put American troops in harm’s way.
Defense Legislation Would Project American Strength
Threats to our allies’ security can quickly turn into threats to American security. When we allow terrorism to fester, it can eventually strike our shores. We have already seen Iranian plots against American leaders, Houthi attacks on U.S. ships, and even recent Russian and Chinese incursions into Alaskan airspace. Congress has a chance to help stop these foes from getting any more powerful.
I serve as the highest-ranking Republican on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. This month, we filed our annual national defense legislation, the National Defense Authorization Act. The bill contains provisions specifically designed to help Israel uproot Hamas and to replenish the missiles we have been expending against the Houthis.
So far, Senate Majority Leader Schumer has refused to allow the bill to be considered. He should do so immediately – to strengthen American deterrence against our foes, reassure our friends, and help prevent attacks on us or our friends.
During this period of leadership transition, the tyrants in China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea all hope to find us distracted. They see the next six months as an opening for them to assert themselves. To keep these foes in check through Inauguration Day, American leaders on both sides of the aisle must present a strong front.
Democrat Leaders Disrespect Israeli Prime Minister
Within days of the president’s decision to end his reelection campaign, the Biden administration had a chance to show strength by standing with a key ally, Israel. Unfortunately, it squandered that opportunity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington, D.C., on the invitation of congressional leaders. It was the prime minister’s fourth address to the U.S. Congress, surpassing Winston Churchill to become the world leader with the most appearances before the body. His remarks were among the most stirring and profound speeches ever delivered at a joint session of Congress.
For the most part, members demonstrated bipartisan support for our ally, but the Biden administration disrespectfully boycotted the event. Normally, the Vice President would honor her role as President of the Senate by attending a foreign leader’s speech. Instead, Vice President Harris, as well as the Senate President Pro Tempore and all cabinet officials, were absent. It is particularly disgraceful that a candidate for the highest office in the land would show such disregard for a core American relationship.
Administration Weakness Strengthens Enemies
The vice president’s behavior is merely the most recent example of the Biden administration’s failure to stand firmly with Israel. The president’s mixed signals have undercut Israel and encouraged Iran, the nation at the root of today’s conflict.
The murderous leader of Iran, the Ayatollah Khomeini, backed Hamas’ October 7 massacre. Since then, he has launched Iran’s first-ever direct assault on Israel.
Tehran has also been arming Israel’s enemies, including the Houthis, the Yemeni rebel group which has spent the past ten months barraging U.S. Navy ships in the Red Sea. The president delayed launching retaliatory strikes against the Houthis. Even then, the group was undeterred. This month, they crossed a new line. For the first time in their history, they bombed Tel Aviv.
Israel has been fighting for its right to exist. Instead of consistently backing the Jewish state, President Biden has grown increasingly preoccupied with appeasing the left wing of his party. In an election-year gimmick, he built a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza. The president claimed it would deliver aid to civilians, but it primarily wasted U.S. resources and put American troops in harm’s way.
Defense Legislation Would Project American Strength
Threats to our allies’ security can quickly turn into threats to American security. When we allow terrorism to fester, it can eventually strike our shores. We have already seen Iranian plots against American leaders, Houthi attacks on U.S. ships, and even recent Russian and Chinese incursions into Alaskan airspace. Congress has a chance to help stop these foes from getting any more powerful.
I serve as the highest-ranking Republican on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. This month, we filed our annual national defense legislation, the National Defense Authorization Act. The bill contains provisions specifically designed to help Israel uproot Hamas and to replenish the missiles we have been expending against the Houthis.
So far, Senate Majority Leader Schumer has refused to allow the bill to be considered. He should do so immediately – to strengthen American deterrence against our foes, reassure our friends, and help prevent attacks on us or our friends.
