America has an ethically challenged presidency in Joe Biden, says The New York Times. It should have gone further.
America's Congress is similarly challenged. Begin with Biden. When he assumed office on Jan 20, the American president promised the world "we will lead not merely by the example of our power but by the power of our example".
For the past eight months, his presidency's narratives have been about American muscle against China, Iran, Russia and even Palestine. Biden is very quick with words, but not so with action.
Consider Biden's speech at the 76th United Nations General Assembly. To the leaders assembled in New York and those listening virtually from elsewhere, he had this to say: "We must seek a future of greater peace and security for all the people of the Middle East." But his next sentence gave his earlier one the lie. "The commitment of the United States to Israel's security is without question. And our support for an independent, Jewish state is unequivocal."
Why must a very rich, nuclear power need America's unquestioned military support against unarmed Palestinians? Why wasn't there anything about Israel's 54-year occupation of Palestinian territories and ceaseless settlement colonialism of the Zionist regime?
We suggest two reasons. One is America's history. Like Israel, the US was built on stealth. There isn't a difference between one stealth and another. Two, Biden isn't a president who is interested in peace in the Middle East. Small wonder, he told the world "We're a long way from that goal at this moment, but we must never allow ourselves to give up on the possibility of progress." Call it Biden's devious way to give a thumbs up to the Zionist regime's settlement colonialism.
Now as to why we think the US Congress is ethically challenged, too. The house may be august but not all the men and women there are. Take the case of the debate surrounding US$1 billion aid to Israel's Iron Dome.
Lest we forget, this is in addition to US$3.8 billion in military aid per year for 10 years, thanks to then president Nobel Peace laureate Barack Obama. This is even higher than what the US contributes to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Most US lawmakers in the House of Representatives and Senate tell Americans that their tax dollars are going towards a good cause: saving Israeli lives. Some even preposterously suggest that the US$4.8 billion is used to save Palestinian lives. This is a lie and the lawmakers know it.
Data produced by B'Tselem, the Israeli human rights organisation, reveal the deception at work. In just 20 years of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict beginning in 2000, 8,166 people lost their lives. Of this, 7,065 were Palestinians while 1,101 were Israelis.
The disproportionate nature of the conflict becomes even more glaring when we zoom into the death toll since 2005: 96 per cent of those killed are Palestinians.
To put it bluntly, American-funded bullets and bombs are not saving Palestinians, but are killing them. Neither the American taxpayers nor the Palestinians are benefiting by the US weaponising Israel. Those who do are the Zionists, the American military complex and the lawmakers who are beholden to the Jewish lobby. If Americans want the Congress to be august — there is no reason why they shouldn't — they must make sure the men and women there keep august company.
