
In a significant Oval Office address, US President Joe Biden emphatically stated that it is “vital for America’s national security” that Israel and Ukraine triumph in their respective conflicts. He outlined the plans for increasing US involvement in these volatile international conflicts, alongside his intentions to ask Congress for vast military aid for both nations.
According to President Biden, unchecked international aggression would potentially lead to “conflict and chaos spilling over to other parts of the world”. Hamas and Putin, he elucidated, present variant dangers; however, they possess a shared goal: the total obliteration of a nearby democratic state.
Biden’s urgent request for funding to the Congress is expected to be on the magnitude of $105 billion for the next fiscal year. The proposed sum encompasses $60 billion for Ukraine’s defense aid, predominantly for the restoration of US weapons reserves already supplied. Israel would receive $14 billion, with $10 billion set aside for humanitarian aid. Provisions of $14 billion for border management between the US and Mexico and countering fentanyl trafficking, and $7 billion for the Indo-Pacific region, primarily Taiwan, also feature within this proposal. This extensive proposal was described by three well-informed sources who chose to remain anonymous until the official unveil.
President Biden asserted that this is a “smart investment” that would secure American security in the long run. By lumping these issues into a single legislative piece, he believes it could muster the requisite political amalgamation for Congress’s endorsement. The day following Biden’s momentous trip to Israel, where he conveyed America’s alliance with the nation amid its conflict with Hamas and championed increased humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, saw this speech come to the fore.
In anticipation of his address, Biden had a dialogue with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reiterating the US’s unwavering support to Kyiv. Yet, Biden’s road to securing funding has significant hurdles. The House is in a state of disarray due to the Republican majority’s inability to select a speaker to succeed Kevin McCarthy. Additionally, some conservative Republicans oppose providing more arms to Ukraine as it nears the second anniversary of its battle against Russia’s invasion.
Wasting time might prove fatal in preventing Ukraine, that’s already struggling with an uphill counteroffensive, from surrendering ground due to the short supply of weaponry. Meanwhile, opposition to military aid for Israel is anticipated from a different political faction, especially given its retaliatory bombardment of Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attack.
Israel faces accusations of war crimes and inhumane treatment of civilians by cutting off essential supplies. Israel’s bipartisan support has been dwindling in recent years due to escalating opposition, particularly among progressive Democrats, against the country’s lengthy occupation of Palestine, widely viewed as unlawful by international standards.
Biden’s decision to apportion funding to Taiwan marks an acknowledgment to a potential international conflict brewing between Taiwan and China over reunification. Despite the immediate problems in Europe and the Middle East, Asia is perceived key to battle for the global influence by Biden. The strategy paper released by Biden’s administration declares that China is “America’s most consequential geopolitical challenge”.