US President Joe Biden may be on the brink of finally securing a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, but his atrocious mishandling of that devastating conflict will leave a terrible and lasting bloodstain splattered over the record of what might have otherwise been one of the great presidencies of recent decades. It’s a tragedy, an outrage and a shame that will linger over US foreign policy for many years to come.
Mr Biden presided over a remarkable string of domestic legislative achievements, with just a tiny majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in his first two years. It was arguably the finest domestic record since Lyndon B Johnson in the early 1960s. This ground-breaking legislation addressed climate change, health care, pandemic relief, industrial policy and many more crucial issues.
On foreign policy, his record was generally also otherwise quite strong. While critics say he should have done more to aid Ukraine, he did support that country sufficiently to fight off the Russian onslaught that Moscow assumed would rapidly put the Kremlin in charge of Kyiv in mere days. Instead, the struggle is now over crucial southern areas of the country, but not its capital or most of its territory.
He expanded Nato for the first time in years, to include two powerful additions: Finland and Sweden. These two countries resisted joining the Atlantic alliance for decades, believing they could rely on themselves and their wits to fend off Russian hegemony and territorial ambitions. This greatly strengthens the US hand in Europe.
There is much more to be said in favour of Mr Biden’s successes. But the tally sheet is indelibly smeared with the blood of Palestinians in Gaza.
At least 46,600 Palestinians are estimated to have died, but experts believe the true number may be much greater. This certainly doesn’t include those still buried under the rubble or those who were buried in homes or by relatives and never made it to morgues or hospitals where the official counts take place.
If the ceasefire is successful, it may be possible for international organisations to enter Gaza and seriously and impartially calculate the true cost. But whatever it is ultimately determined to be, 46,600 – mostly civilians, and quite possibly mostly children given the demographic realities in Gaza – is already unimaginable.
On the evening of October 7, 2023, after the brutal Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to Israeli television and vowed to exact “a mighty vengeance” for the killing of about 1,200 Israeli soldiers and civilians. The war in Gaza has achieved little else, but the “mighty vengeance” certainly took place, and it did so with US support of every variety.
Mr Netanyahu might as well have been echoing the Roman senator Cato the Elder, who began and ended his speeches declaring “Carthaginem esse delendam”, or “Carthage must be destroyed”. Gaza, he seemed to be saying in word and deed, must be destroyed. And so it has.
The Biden administration supplied Israel ample weapons for this mission of raw vengeance, supported it rhetorically, defended it diplomatically – including at the UN Security Council – and encouraged it in every possible way, at least for the first six months. Not until the campaign reached the Egyptian border at Rafah did Mr Biden begin to caution major restraint, and he was essentially ignored.
The only major thing the Biden administration did to express real opposition to Israel’s rampage was to withhold the resupply of a shipment of 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs before the attack on Rafah, but this was probably more aimed at the effort to prevent Israel from spreading the war into Lebanon, which had reached a critical point at that time.
The Biden administration’s approach to the Gaza war was not intentionally an immoral one. No one from the President on down actively wanted Palestinian civilians to be killed. On the contrary, the US, along with the UAE, Qatar and the UN – as well as a whole range of humanitarian NGOs – was instrumental in trying to actually get humanitarian aid into Gaza in spite of Israel’s disturbingly effective efforts to use food and medicine as a weapon of war.
Rather it was an amoral policy. The administration wanted, above all, to stop the war from spreading beyond Gaza, believing that – to paraphrase the advertisement for Las Vegas – “what happens in Gaza stays in Gaza”. What Mr Biden truly feared was a broader regional war, and he was determined to stop it from spreading in a way that might drag in the US and even Iran.
So, Mr Biden ended up miscalculating badly, supporting the Gaza war in order to avoid a Lebanon war. And when Israel pursued the Lebanon war – capitalising on Hezbollah’s unbelievable miscalculation of thinking it could maintain an ongoing low-level confrontation with Israel without being suddenly sucked into a major war – he ended up supporting that, too, in order to avoid a war with Iran.
Biden ended up miscalculating badly, supporting the Gaza war in order to avoid a Lebanon war
Thus, the US ended up being dragged around by its own Israeli client in a remarkable inversion of power and influence. Mr Biden only firmly pulled the leash when Israel might have attacked Iranian oil or nuclear installations in response to Tehran’s second missile barrage against Israel. But, noting the failure of Israel’s Arrow anti-missile system (the Iranian bombs largely fell, but in irrelevant places), Mr Biden did reward Israel’s compliance with major new missile-defence systems, gratis of course.
The Biden administration may leave office next week crowing that it has ended the Gaza war. But in fact, it presided over a ghastly and bloody massacre that the atrocious and indefensible mayhem of October 7, 2023 could in no way justify.
His defenders may say he had no choice. Or that the war in Sudan, in which the US is barely involved, is worse than the war in Gaza. Or any other rationalisation. But the reality is that most of the international community, and especially most of the Arab and Muslim peoples, will never regard Mr Biden and his colleagues with anything other than a fully justifiable outrage.
Insiders may have viewed this policy as amoral, rational and guided by fully defensible raison d’etat. In practice, however, it was grotesquely immoral.
All Neptune’s great ocean can’t wash away that blood clean from his hands.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Saudi Cup race card
1 The Jockey Club Local Handicap (TB) 1,800m (Dirt) $500,000
2 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint (TB) 1,200m (D) $1.500,000
3 The 1351 Turf Sprint 1,351m (Turf) $1,000,000
4 The Saudi Derby (TB) 1600m (D) $800,000
5 The Neom Turf Cup (TB) 2,100m (T) $1,000,000
6 The Obaiya Arabian Classic (PB) 2,000m (D) $1,900,000
7 The Red Sea Turf Handicap (TB) 3,000m (T) $2,500,000
8 The Saudi Cup (TB) 1,800m (D) $20,000,000
Brief scores:
Toss: Kerala Knights, opted to fielf
Pakhtoons 109-5 (10 ov)
Fletcher 32; Lamichhane 3-17
Kerala Knights 110-2 (7.5 ov)
Morgan 46 not out, Stirling 40
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Read more about the coronavirus
MATCH INFO
Southampton 0
Manchester City 1 (Sterling 16')
Man of the match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
The biog
Family: Parents and four sisters
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at American University of Sharjah
A self-confessed foodie, she enjoys trying out new cuisines, her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls
Likes reading: autobiographies and fiction
Favourite holiday destination: Italy
Posts information about challenges, events, runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning
Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk, highlight: Athletes
Apart from training, also talks to women about nutrition, healthy lifestyle, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure
Leading all-time NBA scorers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
Karl Malone 36,928
Kobe Bryant 33,643
Michael Jordan 32,292
LeBron James 31,425
Wilt Chamberlain 31,419
%3Cp%3EThe%20Department%20of%20Culture%20and%20Tourism%20-%20Abu%20Dhabi%E2%80%99s%20Arabic%20Language%20Centre%20will%20mark%20International%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Day%20at%20the%20Bologna%20Children's%20Book%20Fair%20with%20the%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Translation%20Conference.%20Prolific%20Emirati%20author%20Noora%20Al%20Shammari%2C%20who%20has%20written%20eight%20books%20that%20%20feature%20in%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Education's%20curriculum%2C%20will%20appear%20in%20a%20session%20on%20Wednesday%20to%20discuss%20the%20challenges%20women%20face%20in%20getting%20their%20works%20translated.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Bullet%20Train
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Leitch%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Brad%20Pitt%2C%20Aaron%20Taylor-Johnson%2C%20Brian%20Tyree%20Henry%2C%20Sandra%20Bullock%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.3-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E299hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E420Nm%20at%202%2C750rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12.4L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh157%2C395%20(XLS)%3B%20Dh199%2C395%20(Limited)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Results
Stage 4
1. Dylan Groenewegen (NED) Jumbo-Visma 04:16:13
2. Gaviria (COL) UAE Team Emirates
3. Pascal Ackermann (GER) Bora-Hansgrohe
4. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal
General Classification:
1. Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 16:46:15
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07
3. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 0:01:35
4. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40
5. Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
THE SPECS
Jaguar F-Pace SVR
Engine: 5-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 680Nm
Price: Dh465,071
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
RESULTS
Cagliari 5-2 Fiorentina
Udinese 0-0 SPAL
Sampdoria 0-0 Atalanta
Lazio 4-2 Lecce
Parma 2-0 Roma
Juventus 1-0 AC Milan
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
The 100 Best Novels in Translation
Boyd Tonkin, Galileo Press
