US President Joe Biden directly appealed to the US public to support funding for Israel’s and Ukraine’s war efforts, saying that Hamas and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose parallel threats to US democracy.
The Oval Office address, which took about 15 minutes, preceded a formal White House request that Congress provide about US$100 billion in resources for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and the US southern border. Biden said that supporting Ukraine and Israel in their fights against Russia and militant groups, respectively is “vital for America’s national security.”
“I know these conflicts can seem far away, and it’s natural to ask why does this matter to America,” Biden said on Thursday. “Hamas and Putin represent different threats. They share this in common: They both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy.”
Photo: Reuters
This was the second Oval Office address of Biden’s presidency.
“History has taught us that 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.
Biden said he would send Congress an “urgent budget request to fund America’s national security” and “critical partners including Israel and Ukraine” yesterday.
The ask would include about US$60 billion in funding for Ukraine over the next year, and more than US$10 billion in funding to bolster Israeli defenses. The request would also include additional asks in excess of US$10 billion for both humanitarian aid, which could help address the situation in Gaza, as well as for US border security measures, a key ask of some Republican Party members.
The White House package would also include funding for the Indo-Pacific that is expected to bolster allies and partners like Taiwan, sources said.
The Biden administration failed to gain lawmakers’ approval for a package last month containing about US$24 billion in Ukraine aid, amid opposition from ultraconservative Republicans.
There is bipartisan support in Congress for financing Israel’s war-time needs, but public opinion remains mixed. US public’s support for backing Ukraine has also waned since the conflict began last year.
In related news, US forces in the Middle East are facing increasing threats as a US Navy warship shot down missiles appearing to head toward Israel on Thursday, and US bases in Iraq and Syria were repeatedly targeted by drone attacks.
Later, a US official said there had been a rocket attack early yesterday morning on US and coalition forces at a diplomatic support center near the Baghdad International Airport.
Initial assessments indicated two rockets were fired, the official said, noting that one was intercepted by a counter-rocket system and the other struck an empty storage facility.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public, said no casualties were reported.
Earlier, the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer in the northern Red Sea, intercepted three land attack cruise missiles and several drones that were launched by Houthi forces in Yemen.
Additional reporting by AP
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