War Within and Without

What will decide the US mandate? Its approach to the wars outside, Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Middle East, or the battles within-economic, race, gun violence and immigration?

- Seema Guha

OUTSIDE, Israel is pounding Iran with bombs. Iran is sending back showers of missiles. Palestinians are living a hellish nightmare. Lebanon and Syria are wounded; they are hurting to get back at Israel. Russia has been bombarding Ukraine for over two years now. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries are in a quandary about how much to arm Ukraine before the war goes out of hand.

Inside, students and youngsters are disillusioned with capitalism. Two-thirds of those under 30 think socialism is a better option. Owning a house is an option for very few Americans. Homelessness is on the rise. Immigrants are feeling unsafe. Minorities are fearing a backlash. Women’s rights are regressing with laws on issues like abortion and a woman’s right over her body being reversed.

Israel’s war on Gaza and Lebanon has opened fissures in the American society and questions its claims of being a force of good in the world. Young Americans are raising moral questions over President Joe Biden’s administration’s unquestioned support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct, and have called on the White House to stop providing lethal arms to Israel, used in what the Criminal Court of Justice and pro-Palestine supporters see as “genocide” in Gaza. The apathy of political leaders across the world has also shocked the youth in the US.

Soon after the Hamas attack on Israel last October, which killed 1,139 people, there was overwhelming support and sympathy for Israel. Biden and America stood like a rock behind Israel. Washington has provided $17.9 billion in military aid to Israel since the attack. It has also sent warships and military aircraft to the Eastern Mediterranean to bolster Israel’s defence and provided intelligence inputs and satellite pictures. More importantly, Washington provided Israel with political and diplomatic cover, even as it broke all rules of war enshrined in the Geneva Convention.