by Matt Duss

The New Republic: Joe Biden Chose This Catastrophic Path Every Step of the Way

One year into the devastating conflict that began with the Hamas-led invasion into southern Israel followed by a devastating assault in Gaza and beyond, hostages remain in captivity, violence and instability have devastated the region with no end in sight. Even as the conflict expands beyond Gaza and into Lebanon and possibly Iran, the U.S. remains committed to backing Israel and supplying it with weapons. Today in The New Republic, Matt Duss outlines how we got to this grim anniversary, following President Biden’s unwavering commitment to an Israeli prime minister willing to take him for all he’s worth.

Writes Matt Duss

By taking the option of suspending military aid off the table, Biden signaled from the outset that his red lines were meaningless. His stubborn refusal to impose any costs on Netanyahu (except for a token suspension of a few shipments of bombs that was quickly superseded by massive deliveries of new weapons) is what all but ensured that his May cease-fire proposal would wither and die. The story that is now being crafted through friendly journalists is that Biden tried his best but his effort to bring the war to an end was ultimately frustrated by Netanyahu’s shenanigans. But Biden wasn’t hoodwinked by Netanyahu any more than he was by George W. Bush when he chose to back the Iraq War. He chose this path, and stayed on it despite constant warnings of exactly where it was leading. Having done so, when he exits the White House, he and his team will leave this world a more dangerous and lawless place, America’s credibility more broken, the so-called “rules-based order” even more “so-called” than when he entered.

Read the full piece at The New Republic.