President Joe Biden has informed Americans that the country must deepen its support of Ukraine and Israel in the middle of two vastly different, unpredictable and bloody wars as a way of boasting US security.
Acknowledging that ‘these conflicts can seem far away,’ Biden insisted in a rare Oval Office address that they remain ‘vital for America’s national security’ as he prepared to ask Congress for billions of dollars in military assistance for both countries.
‘History has taught us when terrorists don’t pay a price for their terror, when dictators don’t pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction,’ Biden said. They keep going. And the cost and the threat to America and the world keep rising.’
In his speech, Biden expressed a broad understanding of American commitments abroad at a time when he confronts political opposition at home to raising funds. On Friday, he is anticipated to request $105 billion, including $60 billion for Ukraine, the majority of which would be used to replenish formerly supplied U.S. weapons stocks.
There’s also $14 billion for Israel, $10 billion for unspecified humanitarian efforts, $14 billion for managing the U.S.-Mexico border and fighting fentanyl trafficking and $7 billion for the Indo-Pacific region, which includes Taiwan. The proposal was described by three people familiar with the details who insisted on anonymity before the official announcement.
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‘It’s a smart investment that’s going to pay dividends for American security for generations,’ Biden said.
He hopes that combining all of these issues into one piece of legislation will create the necessary coalition for congressional approval. His speech came the day after his high-stakes trip to Israel, where he showed solidarity with the country after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and pushed for more humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.
With Israel continuing to bombard the Gaza Strip and preparing a ground invasion, Biden placed an increased emphasis on the deadly toll that the conflict has had on civilians there, saying he’s “heartbroken by the tragic loss of Palestinian life.”