Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas accused President Joe Biden of aligning with Hamas in the ongoing war in Gaza, in which Hamas initiated violence by targeting innocent Israeli civilians. Cotton stated that Biden’s position effectively supports a victory for Hamas, as Israel’s goal is to dismantle the terrorist group and Hamas’s goal is to simply survive.
Cotton criticized the Biden administration for their “weaselly, mealy-mouthed” stance on Hamas, and for attempting to appease both the pro-Hamas wing of their party and the majority of Americans who support Israel. He also called out Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s comments that attempt to equate the actions of both sides, arguing that this is just a ploy to maintain political popularity.
The Senator also highlighted the fact that Israel is doing everything in its power to minimize civilian casualties, but that Hamas’s tactic of using innocent civilians as shields is to blame for any harm to non-combatants. He also brought up the fact that if Hamas simply released the Israeli hostages, the suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza would end.
Transcript: Sen. Tom Cotton on "Face the Nation," May 12, 2024 #NewsBreak https://t.co/RwLc8YkD7V
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Cotton accused Biden of imposing an effective arms embargo on Israel and implementing sanctions against Israelis by withholding critical offensive weapons. He claimed that under former President Trump, this would have never happened and that if Trump were still in office, the war would likely be over with fewer civilian casualties.
Cotton also referenced a report claiming that US intelligence agencies are working with Israel to locate key Hamas leaders in order to avoid a broader attack. He also quoted Biden as saying that if the hostages were released, a ceasefire could be achieved.
However, Cotton pointed out that in exchange for releasing the hostages, Hamas has admitted that not all hostages would be alive, according to The New York Times. This highlights the barbaric and ruthless tactics of Hamas and further shows that Biden’s attempts at reaching a ceasefire are misguided and ultimately support a terrorist organization.
In conclusion, Senator Tom Cotton strongly disagrees with President Biden’s handling of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. He sees it as a clear alignment with Hamas and their extreme and violent tactics. Cotton believes that under Trump’s leadership, the situation would have been handled differently and that Biden’s attempts at a ceasefire are misguided and ultimately support a terrorist group.