Biden Moves Forward on $1 Billion in New Arms for Israel

[demmiblue]

Source: WSJ

The Biden administration notified Congress on Tuesday that it was moving forward with more than $1 billion in new weapons deals for Israel, U.S. and congressional officials said, a massive arms package less than a week after the White House paused a shipment of bombs over a planned Israeli assault on Rafah.

The latest weapons package includes the potential transfer of $700 million in tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, the officials said.

The decision to proceed with the transfers underscored the Biden administration’s reluctance to deepen its rift with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the Rafah operation by restricting longer-term weapons deals with its closest Middle East ally.

U.S. officials have stressed their opposition to a full-scale Israeli attack in the city, saying it could result in widespread civilian casualties and deepen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis without ending the threat Israel faces from Hamas. But they have registered their opposition so far only by withholding a single shipment of 2,000-pound bombs.

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/biden-moves-forward-on-1-billion-in-new-arms-for-israel-844b761c?st=wzaazmh1nnmk0j5&reflink=article_copyURL_share

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[Aussie105]

1. I'm wondering what the end game will look like . . .

Seriously, where is all this heading?

And while I'm asking questions . . .

Can anyone explain what hold Israel has over the United States of America, where Bibi can demand and the President just complies?

I'm confused and befuddled big time.

[liberalmediaaddict]

5. Imagine if Biden withheld the shipment

If he informed congress he was unilaterally cutting off aid to Israel. Money that was approved by congress a few weeks ago.

He'd probably be impeached.
As usual Biden is in a no win situation.

[Lonestarblue]

17. AIPAC and its lobbying power could cost Biden the election is he displeases them.

AIPAC has more than 3 million pro-Israel members and they have a powerful lobbying organization that donates to candidates who unquestioningly support whatever Israel does. The Jewish vote has been important for Democrats in most elections.

[TeamProg]

2. U N C O N D I T I O N A L L Y ?????

[womanofthehills]

3. Crystal Ball quoted a NYT poll today

Saying 13% of young Democrats who voted for Biden in the last election will not vote for him again because of war on Gaza.

This is bad news.

[Blue Idaho]

4. Then they can wave goodbye to their rights

Under a Trump administration.

[liberalmediaaddict]

7. I'm sure Netanyahu knows this

That's why he's not changing course. He figures he can just hang onto until Trump gets back in office. Then he can level Gaza into the ground and Jared Kushner will turn it into beachfront property.

Reminds me of 1968 when Democrats forced LBJ out and refused to vote for Humphrey because of the Vietnam War.

Then Nixon got in and prolonged the unwinnable war for another 4 years.

[electric_blue68]

13. I remember too well ....

I was only 15, but I'd already done some volunteer political work.
I was sooo devastated by Sen Kennedy's assassination, and so blah about Humphrey; I didn't volunteer - at first

But continuing to listen to Nixon I decided I couldn't imagine him as President so I went, and volunteered for Humphrey in the last 5 wks.

[padah513]

15. They'll also lose the chance to take Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court seat

He won't get out under a Democratic President, but he will if there's a Republican President just to put a younger Republican in his place. I hope they can see the bigger picture, but I doubt it. Young people can be ideologues at times.

[Demsrule86]

19. Crystal Ball hates Democrats...nothing she says is worth reading.

[mpcamb]

6. What happened to the 'Total outrage'?

'Total outrage': White House condemns Israeli settlers' attack on Gaza aid truck.
??
DU: Tue May 14, 2024, 07:08 AM

[HUAJIAO]

8. WHAT !!! A BILLION $$$$.. For what !!!

[twodogsbarking]

9. Count me against. Peace.

[orange jar]

10. Look.

I support Israel's right to exist. Oct 7th was a despicable act of terrorism and Hamas is one of the most disgusting "organizations" to exist. I also support Israel's right to defend itself.

But… there cannot be mixed signals coming from the White House. It looks bad when, on one day, the Biden admin condemns Netanyahu and tells him that there will be no help for the Rafah operation. But then the next day, we try to get Congress to pass a bill to give weapons to Israel… which will ultimately be used for Rafah.

I get that there are constraints, loop holes, and a bunch of things that Biden has to follow. But the messaging is different from the actions and, sorry, but it looks bad.

This still doesn't excuse all the people who say this is a dealbreaker for voting for Biden, though. Nor does it excuse bigotry and anti-Semitism that we're also seeing.

[David__77]

11. I'm glad, at least, that it will be subject to a vote rather than sent on an emergency basis without a vote.

That said, I hope it is defeated.

[Prairie Gates]

12. Do we even have a Middle East policy right now?

Blinken is out there playing guitar in Kyev and it's finger wag with one hand, here's some tank ammo with the other coming out of DC.

Incoherent.

[RedArkGuy]

14. I'm blocked by a paywall

So I couldn't read much of the article.

Is this part of what Congress already passed and signed last month or is this new money he's asking Congress to appropriate?

[Magoo48]

16. Just more of my tax dollars going to MIC. I do not support our nation's handing out

of killing machines.