As the world watches in horror as news outlets continue to report on the atrocities unleashed on Israeli civilians at the hands of Islamic terrorists, the United States rightly stands shoulder to shoulder with our ally. Yet while our only ally in the Middle East seeks to defend herself against terrorists hellbent on her complete destruction, President Biden is asking Congress to tether reckless funding for the conflict in Ukraine to aid for Israel—instead of moving to secure our border to prevent a similar attack on American soil.
The modern Jewish State has been a mission critical partner of the United States since its miraculous founding in 1948. For the past 75 years, the United States has stood resolute with Israel, sharing in a mutually beneficial relationship that has made both nations safer and more prosperous, while making the world more secure. From intelligence sharing and military cooperation that aids our security efforts, to water and medical technology that help our citizens live prosperously, our friendship with Israel has served the United States well.
The security assistance the United States sends to Israel on an annual basis provides them with the weapons, munitions, and technology to fight back against dark forces who wish to see the Jewish people erased from their ancestral homeland. Those dark forces were out in full, horrifying display on October 7, when Hamas terrorists launched a murderous attack against Israelis—setting civilians on fire, slaughtering entire families, raping women in the streets, and kidnapping children.
As Israel defends herself against vicious animals who wish to carry out a genocide against Jews, any foreign aid the U.S. provides to Israel would be reciprocal of our shared interests—not an advancement of globalist interests. Israel is being forced to combat the same forces of darkness that have fueled countless terror attacks, including the horrors of September 11, 2001, that have killed thousands of Americans. Not to mention, the recent onslaught in Israel has already claimed the lives of 31 American civilians, with more Americans missing or being held hostage.
As if this weren't terrifying enough, this horrific attack sheds light on the threats we're exposed to within the American homeland, thanks to Biden's open border.
Our leaders are addicted to focusing on international conflicts while abandoning the needs of Americans at home. They seem to focus on atrocities going on in the world and completely drop the ball and forget about what's going on here. They forget about our wide-open border under Biden that's incentivized about 280 people on the terror watchlist to attempt to enter. They forget about the 1.6 million got-aways—all of whom have successfully infiltrated our nation.
If you don't think there are any lone wolves or terrorist cells that have come in through that wide open border, you're a fool.
We can and should continue to support our ally Israel—but we must put the safety and wellbeing of our own citizens first. We must ensure that we remain levelheaded and vigilant that we don't allow the current conflict to escalate into another forever war.
As the U.S. Representative for Arizona's Second Congressional District, protecting Americans is one of my top priorities, right behind defending our God-given, unalienable rights.
That objective is not advanced by becoming further entangled in Russia's conflict with Ukraine. While the war in Ukraine has rightly sparked outrage and caused unnecessary death and suffering, U.S. involvement will only increase casualties, prolong a peaceful end, and potentially escalate the conflict to a nuclear war.
Russia's goal is to establish geopolitical control over Ukraine. In stark contrast, Hamas' goal is to eradicate Jews.
Ukraine, while democratic in name, is notoriously one of the most corrupt countries in the world. According to Transparency International, the Ukrainian government ranks near the bottom third of all included countries when it comes to levels of corruption.
Yet to date, we've sent over $135 billion to Ukraine since the start of the conflict—which still has no end in sight. To put that in perspective, since Israel's founding, we've given our ally just over $150 billion. President Biden's latest request would tie $14.3 billion for Israel to an irrational $61.4 billion for Ukraine.
The Establishment is dead set on wedging America into the conflict in Ukraine despite our relationship with Ukraine providing no net benefit to the U.S. We have no business inserting ourselves in this war to defend a non-ally simply to police the world.
Continuing to bankroll a land dispute in Eastern Europe that we can't afford, siphoning funds away from securing our border and giving it parity with Israel's existential war against genocidal Islamic terrorists, is reckless and irresponsible.
Any additional aid that's sent to Israel from the United States government should under no circumstances be tied to additional funding for the conflict in Ukraine. Our foreign policy objectives should always be assessed individually, giving our domestic needs preeminence while putting the security and prosperity of America first.
Irresponsibly bundling these two aid packages together saddles our strategic support for Israel with the needless escalation of another forever war.
Eli Crane is the representative for Arizona's 2nd Congressional District and is a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. He is a former Navy SEAL and businessman.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
