As I mentioned in a previous blog, there actually are Democrats trying to credit Joe Biden with the Israel/hamas ceasefire.
The absurdity of this is beyond the pale. But there are SIPs out there who are, no doubt convincing themselves that all Trump is doing is following through on Biden’s leadership (the fact that he was cognitively gone and other people were running our country somehow didn’t count).
Eliot Abrams, the long-time foreign policy maven who served under several presidents has written an essay that completely trashes this absurdity. You can read it all by clicking here.
But let me show you his last three paragraphs, which sum things up beautifully:
The facts are plain to see for those not motivated by hatred of Netanyahu and of Trump, or at least by political rivalry with either of them. Israel devastated the military power of Hezbollah; Netanyahu and Trump devastated the military power of Iran; with Trump’s approval, Israel began to conquer Gaza City; and the Israeli attack in Doha created a diplomatic opening when the Qataris concluded that the war must end, and they were willing to give their own ultimatum to Hamas.
Could all that have happened a year ago under Joe Biden? To ask the question is to answer it. In his sad final year in office, and especially after his disastrous debate with Trump on June 27, 2024, and withdrawal from the election on July 21, Biden had no ability to persuade or muscle anyone. He was then the lamest of ducks, after a first half of 2024 in which he demonstrated more and more evidence of advancing age, flagging energy, and lack of concentration.
The ceasefire deal was the product of power well applied by two men who have never been afraid to use it. The notion that all this could have been done by the Biden administration, or could have succeeded before Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran had been dealt smashing blows and the Qataris had been terrified into action against Hamas, is a fantasy. What Biden and his crew never learned, but Trump and Netanyahu understand viscerally, is that the facts on the ground determine the diplomatic outcome—and not vice versa.
Exactly, 100% correct.
Not even a nice try, guys. But do keep trying. Hey, maybe you can convince a few people he ended World War II….
