Biden pleads the case for Israel, Ukraine—and American leadership

WITH WAR raging in Israel as well as Ukraine, President Joe Biden made an impassioned plea for America to act again as “the arsenal of democracy” by providing tens of billions of dollars of military aid to both allies. He adapted the idea of America as the “indispensable nation”—a concept coined by the late secretary of state, Madeleine Albright—to cast the country as the “essential nation”, vital to holding back the forces of aggression, be they terrorists or bully states.Mr Biden drew a direct connection between of Israeli communities on October 7th and of Ukraine in February last year. “Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: they both want to completely annihilate a neighbouring democracy,” Mr Biden said in a televised address to Americans on October 19th. Another common thread, he noted, is that both foes are supported by Iran.