Peace Option Out for Four More Years If Biden Remains

In this year's State of the Union address, US President Joe Biden touched on border security, the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas wars and the US economy. Senior Analyst Laszlo Dornfeld at the Center for Fundamental Rights gave Magyar Nemzet his take on the speech.

Washington, 2024. március 8. Joe Biden amerikai elnöknek a törvényhozás épületében, a Capitoliumban tartott évértékelõ beszéde egy képernyõn a washingtoni elnöki hivatal, a Fehér Ház sajtószobájában 2024. március 7-én. Biden mögött Kamala Harris amerikai alelnök (b) és Mike Johnson, a képviselõház republikánus párti elnöke látható. MTI/EPA/Consolidated News Photos pool/Rod Lamkey Fotó: Rod Lamkey

The president is treading on very thin ice regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: while Israel is one of the country's most important allies in the Middle East, it must also cater to the pro-Palestinian American Muslim community that votes Democrat. This is why he has reaffirmed his belief in the so-far failed two-state solution, and announced the sending of aid. The presence of US troops in a war zone is particularly dangerous, as they could be attacked inadvertently in the chaos of war. Similar circumstances have already led to tragedy: during the Six-Day War in 1967, the Israeli air force mistakenly bombed the US naval ship USS Liberty in the area.

While inflation in the US remains high, he talks about the country becoming the manufacturing capital of the world. One senses a contradiction between his statements and the data. Is this another campaign slogan?

President Biden and his circle know precisely the level of contrast between the current state of the economy compared to when Trump was in charge. While the US economy grew and prospered under his predecessor's leadership, it now continues to produce debt at an alarming rate, with inflation at levels long unseen, spurred by bad government decisions. Biden has therefore tried to sugar-coat the situation in his speech, but he can hardly deceive the American electorate with this rhetoric. Trump is sure of his winning position, not without reason, especially after the successive blunders of the Biden administration, and could confidently challenge his expected opponent to a public debate.

Cover photo: US President Joe Biden delivering his annual State of the Union address in the Capitol, as seen on a screen in the White House Press Room in Washington, DC, on March 7, 2024 (Photo: MTI/EPA/Consolidated News Photos pool/Rod Lamkey)