A recent CNN opinion piece entitled "Many Muslim voters no longer see Trump as worse than Biden” threw me right over the top. My immediate knee-jerk reaction was "how stupid are these people?" Don't they know that Benjamin Netanyahu wants Trump to win so he can pursue an unfettered war in Gaza and never seek a two state solution? Did they forget the Muslim ban? Trump even specifically wants to ban refugees from Gaza from coming to United States.
OK, I need to calm down, put my intellectual thinking cap on and not just call people morons. It is hard, but I'm going to try...
First and foremost, the assertion that Donald Trump's administration would handle the situation in Gaza more effectively than Joe Biden's is a viewpoint that requires a suspension of reality. Trump's tenure was marked by a series of controversial decisions that had profound implications for the region, notably the move of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. This decision was criticized globally for exacerbating tensions between Israel and Palestine, undermining the prospects for peace, and deviating from decades of U.S. policy aimed at neutrality and supporting a two-state solution as a path to peace.
Moreover, Trump's efforts to impose travel bans targeting several Muslim-majority countries under the guise of national security were blatantly discriminatory, fostering a climate of division and exacerbating anti-Muslim sentiments. Such policies not only strained America's relations with Muslim communities domestically and internationally but also contradicted the values of inclusivity and respect for human rights.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's preference for Trump raises concerns about the implications of such support on the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
On the other hand, Joe Biden's administration has sought to recalibrate U.S. foreign policy towards a more balanced and multilateral approach. Biden's support for a two-state solution and efforts to provide aid to Gaza (which was opposed by Trump and blocked by Republicans) reflect an attempt to address the humanitarian crisis and support peace initiatives. While Biden's policies and actions regarding Israel and Palestine have faced criticism for various reasons, including from those who seek a more robust stance against the Israeli government's policies, the administration's approach indicates an awareness of the need for nuanced diplomacy and support for international norms.
The critique of Biden's response to the conflict in Gaza, particularly in light of the violence and the humanitarian crisis, underscores the challenges faced by any U.S. administration in navigating the intricacies of Middle Eastern politics.
Supporting a leader based on a singular issue that involves complex international relations, is a grave misjudgment. The repercussions of not voting for Biden or even worse voting for Trump extend far beyond immediate concerns and resonate through generations, influencing global stability, human rights, and the international order. Put simply, the fate of democracy in the United States is at stake and with it our position as a global leader. Make no mistake, if we lose that, we lose any ability to help anybody in Gaza or anywhere else.
As Joe Biden often says, "don't compare me to the Almighty, compare me to the alternative." Any fair minded person who compares these two candidates on any issue that Democrats care about… It's not even a contest.