In his new book “Chasing Hope,” New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof describes the unfolding Gaza war succinctly as “a just war that has become unjust.” Kristof further notes that the unwillingness of Joe Biden to use the leverage available to him to end the war will be a major “blot” on his presidency.
A similar view was expressed by Israeli Alon Pinkas in a June 13 opinion piece in Haaretz entitled “After eight months of pursuing what turned out to be a failed policy, what are the realistic and implementable policy options U.S. President Joe Biden has at his disposal to resolve the conflict?”
Echoing Kristof, Pinkas opined that “Biden, whose foreign policy … and savvy handling of Russia... was exemplary… may now be remembered for a war in Gaza that exceeded all worstcase expectations.”
Meanwhile, many Alaska Democrats, including myself, grudgingly plan to vote for Biden because the alternative is worse. Specifically, Donald Trump, who Benjamin Netanyahu hopes will win, if elected would likely give Netanyahu’s extremist ministers Ben-Gvir and Smoltrich everything they want vis-à-vis bombing Gaza to rubble.
Moreover, as he keeps asserting, Trump will, of course, give Putin the green light to take as much of Ukraine as he wishes.
— William Hibler
Fairbanks
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