Biden’s Mission to the Middle East: The U.S. Ambassador in Israel and the First War with a “Defensive and Dangerous Moment”
The US doesn’t have an ambassador in Israel. The Biden administration’s ability to pursue its goals has been hindered by that vacancies, from negotiating the release of U.S. hostages held by Hamas in order to easing the violence to preventing it from morphing into a larger conflict.
The trip is still worth making as much as it was for what was unsaid, and anything that was achieved. His decision to enter a war zone, in a country complete with destruction and rage, shows that the United States still has a vital role to play in defusing international crises.
This is especially true since there was a lot of incompetence on display in Washington during his visit. While Mr. Biden met with Israeli first responders and the families of the victims of Hamas, Republicans in the House were not doing their jobs by passing spending bills and military aid packages, or demonstrating that the legislative branch of government has its act.
Lew worked on a controversial Iran nuclear deal that the Republicans on the panel criticized. Lew told the panel that he believes Iran to be a threat to Israel.
Many of the key U.S diplomatic posts in the Middle East have been empty for months, and the Senate is moving fast to fill them.
The value of having a U.S. ambassador on the ground in Israel can’t be overstated as there is an extremely dangerous moment in the Middle East. “It’s important in both the short term and the long term.”
The first war broke out in a country without a US ambassador. The top U.S. diplomatic post wasn’t occupied when Russia invaded Ukraine.
Senate acts on ‘unprecedented lack of U.S. ambassadors, spurred by Israel-Hamas war’
Lew was Treasury Secretary under President Barack Obama. He was the director of the Office of Management and Budget and held numerous White House jobs.
Lew’s rapid advancement is similar to others. The foreign relations panel is holding a hearing for the pick to represent the US in Egypt, as well as confirmations of new ambassadors to Kuwait and Oman this week.
The U.S. diplomatic corps in Israel was busy prior to the Hamas attack. The U.S had two main goals: trying to convince Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to temper his plans to weaken the judiciary; and reaching an agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalize relations.
“We have diplomats for a reason,” he said. She later added, “American foreign policy starts in Washington, but the leadership on the ground helps to see it through.”
“Many of these countries are key regional actors who could be leveraged to advance U.S. interests in resolving the current round of fighting,” Pandith said. The United States and Iran can be reached through a border with Gaza, which is shared by Egypt.
Egypt: Vacant. The nomination of Herro Mustafa Garg — a former ambassador to Bulgaria who speaks Arabic, Kurdish, Farsi, and several other languages — has been pending since late March. The hearing was held on Thursday.
October 17th was filled in Oman. Ana Escrogima was confirmed after her nomination languished for four months despite a favorable committee report. The delay was apparently due to holds placed in the Senate; senators can block nominations privately.
Lebanon is in the future. In February, Lisa A. Johnson was nominated. The ambassador would be replaced by a new one. The foreign relations panel advanced both of their nominations to the full Senate this summer.
The most notable example was when China brokered an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, notorious historical foes”, she said.
Senator Paul, R-Ky.: Blocking Senators’ Nominations to the Office of the Vice-President of State, Sen. Rand Paul
Most of the delays have nothing to do with the candidates, many of whom are career diplomats. Senators can place a block on their nominations to gain leverage for their own political aims — such as when Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., blocked all State Department nominees earlier this year in his fight for records related to the origins of COVID-19.