Biden's Legitimacy Crisis Deepens Despite "Temporary Truce"
Detroit, Michigan, October 28, 2023
With the backing and funding the Biden administration is giving to the Zionist genocide in Palestine, the U.S. and the Biden administration are having great difficulty salvaging any legitimacy as a voice for human rights and democracy. Their efforts to use the claim of "terrorism" by Palestinians to justify the horrific onslaught and divert from the U.S./Israeli crimes are not succeeding. On November 20, White House spokesperson John Kirby was asked about activists dubbing the president "Genocide Joe" for his unconditional support of Israel. Kirby, of the National Security Council responded, "Israel isn't trying to wipe the Palestinian people off the map. Israel isn't trying to wipe Gaza off the map. Israel is trying to defend itself against a genocidal terrorist threat. So if we're going to start using that word, fine. Let's use it appropriately." Blinded by their own arrogance and chauvinism, the U.S. denies the Palestinian genocide the whole world sees.
In his speech November 19, seeking yet tens of billions more war funds for Israel and Ukraine, Biden repeatedly attempted to confound Palestinian resistance with terrorism. This is part of U.S. disinformation and fraud that says an occupied people, whether in Palestine, or Puerto Rico, or elsewhere, do not have the right to resist. On the contrary, the peoples themselves and international law upholds that right and makes occupation and colonialism the crimes.
Biden said, "It is imperative that no terrorist threats ever again emanate from Gaza or the West Bank." He said, "Gaza must never again be used as a platform for terrorism." These statements directly justify Israel's efforts to "annihilate" Hamas and all of Gaza. And while claiming, "The voices of Palestinian people and their aspirations must be at the center of post-crisis governance in Gaza," Biden also said, "An outcome that leaves Hamas in control of Gaza would once more perpetuate its hate and deny Palestinian civilians the chance to build something better for themselves."
Palestinian voices are to be allowed, but only if they submit to what the U.S. dictates. The U.S. says Hamas is terrorist, and as Bush put it, "You are either with us or with the terrorists," meaning the U.S. decides who is and is not terrorist and that "terrorist threats can never again emanate," from Gaza, or the West Bank. This claim of terrorism and support for terrorism also extends to the many organizations and people supporting Palestine, including having them banned, punished and further criminalized.
The crimes, genocide and extensive terrorism of Israel, of course,
can exist and continue, as is now occurring. Israel unleashed some of
the worst bombings against Palestinians hours before the truce was to
start. No condemnation by the U.S., no holding Israel to account, no
stopping of aid to
Israel as is being demanded across the U.S. and worldwide. Israel relies
heavily on U.S.-supplied arms and technology, including hundreds of
M-113A armored personnel carriers, roughly 350 artillery pieces, large
numbers of transport planes and helicopters, kits to provide laser
guided missiles, and
the Israeli air force's entire inventory of combat aircraft, including
F-15s and F-16s and two squadrons of current generation F-35s. Biden can
use executive orders to stop shipments and refuse funding for any more.
He does not. He can propose and enforce a UN Security Council
Resolution for a
ceasefire. He does not.
Instead, Biden openly demands more funding and repeats lies already shown to be lies, like Hamas decapitating babies and raping women, that hospitals are being used as military headquarters -- all with either no evidence or proven false. Biden seems to forget what people in the U.S. still remember, that the "war on terror," was a U.S. war of terrorism against the peoples that made problems in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere far worse. Claims of weapons of mass destruction and crimes of Iraqis were all lies and disinformation. Nothing can justify genocide and war crimes.
Having difficulty escaping from the condemnation of U.S. genocide evident in signs and chants at many actions, Biden attempted to fall back on the chauvinism that what is important in this situation are American lives. On November 21, Biden issued a statement concerning the "temporary truce," where Israel is supposed to stop all military activity for four days and fuel, food, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid is to enter all parts of Gaza. About 150 women and children imprisoned in Israel are to be released, along with about 50 of the captives held by Hamas. Biden says nothing of why so many children are incarcerated in Israel, perhaps to divert from the reality of U.S. mass incarceration and imprisonment of children. He said, "I welcome the deal to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist group Hamas during its brutal assault against Israel on October 7."
Biden speaks of the importance of getting U.S. captives released, while saying nothing of the horrific and on-going bombings of Palestinian hospitals, schools, refugee camps, or the many Palestinian Americans whose families in Gaza are being slaughtered daily. He also cannot explain how a "terrorist" organization has managed to provide so many hospitals and medical facilities and schools in conditions of a decade-long siege.
Hamas is a political organization that has governed Gaza, has relations with the UN and other international agencies and, as part of the Unified Resistance, is waging a battle for Palestinian rights.
The failure of U.S. government is also evident. In a situation of genocide and unending war crimes, government dysfunction, problems of poverty, hunger, growing inequality and attacks on rights at home, and abroad, Biden says, "I have no higher priority than ensuring the safety of Americans held hostage around the world." He also tries to take main credit for the temporary truce worked out, saying it is "testament to the tireless diplomacy and determination of many dedicated individuals across the United States Government to bring Americans home."
The anti-war and pro-Palestinian movement in the U.S. has long since rejected this notion that only U.S. lives matter. This is evident in the many massive banners listing the names of Palestinian children massacred, numbering now more than 5,000. It is evident in the focus on support for Palestinian resistance and ending all U.S. aid. The widespread stand, "We Are All Palestinians," equally shows that people are standing as one humanity in support of Palestine. Similarly, Biden's efforts to say war funding should be supported as it provides jobs, is also being rejected as workers bring their organization, discipline and determination to many actions.
Biden is also contending with a situation where U.S. dictate is being challenged by the peoples in the U.S. and worldwide, as are the U.S. values that say genocide and war crimes are justified in the name of fighting terrorism. Peoples' memories are not so short, whether it be those concerning weapons of mass destruction lies, are those used to justify enslavement of Africans, or massacres of Indigenous Peoples, or colonization of Puerto Rico -- all done in the name of stopping "terrorism," and preserving "American lives."
Additionally, Biden is confronted with the reality that Arab countries are reaching out to China and that the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and others invited to join them) are also discussing the situation and calling for a ceasefire. The timing of the truce and Biden's claim to be responsible is likely not a coincidence, as at least one factor is his effort to regain credibility while contending with demands by Russia, China, Arab countries and Iran.
All of which brings to the fore the urgent question facing the world's people, which is how to break the stranglehold of the U.S. on international relations and block the genocide of both the U.S. and Israel as they are striving to do.
UN resolutions, even the minimal one of the UN Security Council, and international law, are not enforceable but nonetheless decisive in showing how isolated the U.S., Israel and their supporters are. Democratizing the UN, organizing to give authority and enforcement powers to the UN General Assembly, and stepping up the organized resistance everywhere is crucial. It is the peoples and their resistance that are decisive, as the heroic Palestinians are showing. Continuing to affirm this U.S./Israeli genocide is Not In Our Name, and elaborating the need for institutions that are in our name, that empower the people contributes to further opening a way forward.
This article was published in
Volume 53 Number 26 - November 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2023/Articles/MS53262.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca