President Joe Biden’s Oval Office speech to the nation last Thursday was a continuation of his confused and incoherent approach to national policy.
The border remains open during a fentanyl epidemic. Americans are struggling to make ends meet, and he imposes climate policies which make everything more expensive. The world is getting more dangerous, and he focuses on imposing social change on our military.
President Biden proved in Afghanistan that he can make disastrous errors of judgment with cataclysmic consequences. Biden’s blunder led to the collapse of an ally, the largest abandonment of American equipment in history, and the tragic conquest of the Afghans. Every day, Afghan women – who feared and resisted the Taliban for 19 years – are having their hard-won freedom ripped away.
For all Biden’s strong language last Thursday night, his administration has slowly and grudgingly sent the Ukrainians the military equipment they need. Instead of sending the army’s most advanced long-range system, ATACMs, Biden gave Ukraine a shorter range and less effective system. The Ukrainians still do not have capabilities to destroy Russian forces at long range. They also lack aircraft, which could give them control of the air. Biden likes to send money and talk big, but he won’t send the military equipment Ukraine needs.
After only a few serious paragraphs about defending Israel, Biden reverted to the traditional, failed liberal worldview of evenhandedness. By paragraph eight, Biden reaffirmed his commitment to the Palestinians:
‘I also spoke with President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority and reiterated that the United States remains committed to the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and to self-determination. The actions of Hamas terrorists don’t take that right away.
‘Like so many others, I am heartbroken by the tragic loss of Palestinian life, including the explosion at a hospital in Gaza — which was not done by the Israelis.
‘We mourn every innocent life lost. We can’t ignore the humanity of innocent Palestinians who only want to live in peace and have an opportunity.’
He talked about Palestinian suffering without mentioning the Israeli babies who Hamas beheaded. He talked about getting humanitarian aid to Gaza and made only a vague, cursory commitment to rescuing American hostages.
By paragraph 11, Biden was done with Israel and shifted to the war he really cares about.
‘You know, the assault on Israel echoes nearly 20 months of war, tragedy, and brutality inflicted on the people of Ukraine — people that were very badly hurt since Putin launched his all-out invasion,’ he said.
Biden made a small breakthrough by acknowledging Iran’s role in Ukraine and the Middle East. But he offered no solutions.
‘Iran is — is supporting Russia’s [war in] in Ukraine, and it’s supporting Hamas and other terrorist groups in the region. And we’ll continue to hold them accountable, I might add,’ he said.
Of course, Biden has never held Iran accountable for anything – and there is no evidence he is about to start. Holding Iran accountable would mean reimposing the tight sanctions President Donald Trump levied on the world’s largest funder of terrorism – or freezing the $6 billion in Iranian money that is sitting in Qatar.
Instead, Biden focused on restricting Israel’s ability to effectively fight a war to protect its own citizens.
‘President [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and I discussed again yesterday the critical need for Israel to operate by the laws of war. That means protecting civilians in combat as best as they can. The people of Gaza urgently need food, water, and medicine.’
Instead of reinforcing Israel’s right to annihilate Hamas and bring swift end to the violence (which would benefit Israeli and Palestinian citizens) Biden’s classic liberal view of sympathy over success will only prolong the torment.
Of course, Biden lets slip the reality that we would have no control over aid that we send to Gaza as long as Hamas remains.
‘If Hamas does not divert or steal this shipment – these shipments, we’re going to provide an opening for sustained delivery of lifesaving humanitarian assistance for the Palestinians.’
There’s no question Hamas will steal the shipments. Any aid we send will be used to help terrorists, not innocent Palestinians.
Finally, Biden’s liberal fantasy reverted to a dream which has not been achieved in two generations.
‘And as I said in Israel: As hard as it is, we cannot give up on peace. We cannot give up on a two-state solution. Israel and Palestinians equally deserve to live in safety, dignity, and peace.’
I hope Congress will look carefully at any package Biden sends up. The Republican majority must insist on controlling our own border as part of any package – and be clear about what we are doing for Ukraine.
We should immediately pass an effective package for Israel, and then develop a rational reform package for Ukraine.
After his consistent failures, Biden must not get a blank check for Israel or Ukraine.
Newt Gingrich was Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995-1999 and a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. He is chairman of Gingrich 360.