Joe Biden asks Congress for "billions in urgent aid" to Ukraine and Israel
US President Joe Biden sent a message to the world that more "chaos and destruction across the globe" could be unleashed if Vladimir Putin and the Islamist organisation Hamas do not pay for the suffering they have caused in Ukraine and Israel, respectively.
During a speech from the White House Oval Office, Biden said: "History has taught us that when terrorists do not pay for their terror and dictators do not face the price for their aggression, they cause more chaos, death, and destruction".
FULL SPEECH: President Biden delivers powerful address on US leadership around the world.
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) October 20, 2023
Worth a watch till the end. pic.twitter.com/mOafx15W3y
Using the speech, Biden sought to persuade the American people that the United States should be at the forefront of protecting democracy around the world, a notion that fits within the political ideology of the "American exceptionalist". Indeed, he reaffirmed in his speech the idea that the world is at a "tipping point" in which authoritarian models such as China and Russia are competing with democratic nations around the world as defenders of the liberal international order that was established after World War II.
After the 11 September 2001 attacks, many Americans were outraged and the US made "mistakes" in responding to terrorism while seeking justice. Biden compared the current situation in Israel to what his nation went through at the time.
"I have urged the Israeli government to control its anger. We have to work harder than ever to hold on to the values that make us who we are, a nation of religious freedom and free speech, in times like these, when fear and suspicion, anger and rage are strong," the president said.
srael and Ukraine receive millions in aid
At the same time, the US president said he will submit an "urgent" budget request to Congress in the coming hours to fund "national security needs" of the United States and provide assistance to Israel and Ukraine. In a speech from the White House Oval Office that was carried live on the country's major television networks, Biden declared: "This is a smart investment that will pay dividends for American security for generations.
According to leaks in the US press, Biden is expected to request about $88 billion in total. The war in Ukraine has cost $60 billion, $14 billion for Israel and $14 billion for the US border, among other sums.
"Help us create a more secure and peaceful and prosperous world for our children and grandchildren," Biden said, demonstrating his unequivocal goal of galvanising public opinion to put pressure on Congress, which is divided in its support for Ukraine but united in its need to defend Israel.
The president went on to say that Israel "must ensure that it has what it needs to protect its people today and always," so Friday's request will constitute "an unprecedented commitment" to its security and "sharpen the qualitative military edge" the nation possesses.
In an effort to "put an end to Putin's brutality", Biden also urged Congress to continue funding Ukraine. "The defence of the country depends on the United States," Biden said, recalling that he would not deploy US forces to fight in Ukraine.
Both Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress have expressed support for Israel and a willingness to provide more military assistance. However, the political landscape is different when it comes to Ukraine: while Republicans are divided, most Democrats are united in their support for Kiev.
A humanitarian perspective
In addition to warnings about the dangers posed by Putin and Hamas and denunciation of their atrocities, Biden's speech was also full of statements designed to quell criticism, particularly in light of the agonising circumstances facing Palestinians in Gaza who are living under total Israeli siege and whose bombardment has already claimed 3,700 lives.
Biden highlighted the agreement reached to allow 20 trucks of humanitarian aid access to the Strip through Egypt's Rafah crossing, a day after travelling to Tel Aviv, where he participated in a meeting of Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet and met with relatives of those killed in the 7 October Hamas attack. He has pleaded with the Israeli government "not to let anger blind them". "We cannot give up on peace, we cannot give up on a two-state solution," he concluded.
There are innocent people all over the world who hope because of our nation, who believe in a better life because of us, and who are desperate to not be forgotten by us.
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 20, 2023
Time is of the essence – I know we have our divisions at home.
We have to get past them. pic.twitter.com/f1vh1ACBaH
The Democrat spoke out against both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia during his 15-minute speech, demonstrating his "rejection of all forms of hatred". He also criticised the case of Wadea al-Fayoume, a six-year-old Palestinian-American boy who was stabbed to death in Illinois by his landlord following the outbreak of the most recent conflict in Israel. Biden had omitted to mention the girl's name in the statement made on her behalf after the crime.
Americas Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra.
