Internal Political Squabbles Weaken America’s International Standing

A new and potentially devastating war in the Middle East has spotlighted intelligence failures, military preparedness, and more inside Israel. That light spills over into that nation’s greatest ally, the United States, where our political class is mired in parochial squabbles.

At the top of the list: a House of Representatives that is in the hands of a caretaker speaker following the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy a few days ago.

While the handful of Republicans…and the Democratic caucus – were able to throw the always conditionally in charge McCarthy overboard, there is no consensus pick to lead the increasingly divided, paralyzed, and provincial chamber.

Optimists may think Republicans will line up behind a candidate whom all factions support later this week. But there’s hardly a guarantee that will occur, even in the face of new global crises. Instead, there is a real chance the unserious people currently holding sway in the House will continue to indulge their inner child, rather than their legislative responsibilities.

And of course this applies to the Democratic caucus, too. They provided the overwhelming bulk of the votes that ousted McCarthy – they, effectively, indulged the dysfunctional minority of Republicans to get their way. Even with a small degree of hindsight, the Democrats’ solidarity against McCarthy makes them look as petty, parochial, and unserious as any Republican populist chasing clicks and cash.

And lest we forget the Senate…in that (allegedly) august body, a single Senator, Alabama’s Tommy Tuberville, maintains his hold on all senior military promotions because he’s against abortion.

While some may think the one-time football coach is standing on principle, he’s really just another political narcissist indulging himself at the expense of the nation’s security. Given the latest hot war on the global stage, Tuberville’s vanity is now a threat that can no longer be indulged. 

And while we’re at it…the U.S still has no official ambassador to Israel. Former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew was nominated for the post in early September. That he hasn’t been confirmed yet doesn’t exactly give one confidence the Senate is much better shape than the broken House.

This is hardly an exhaustive list of the problems – the Biden administration, for another, appears not to have seen anything amiss in Gaza. If anything, Team Biden was of the opinion that everything was hunky dory:

Just eight days ago, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, speaking at The Atlantic Festival, rattled off a long list of positive developments in the Middle East, developments that were allowing the Biden administration to focus on other regions and other problems. A truce was holding in Yemen. Iranian attacks against U.S. forces had stopped. America’s presence in Iraq was “stable.” The good news crescendoed with this statement: “The Middle East region is quieter today than it has been in two decades.”

Yes, Congress may be filled to bursting with unserious pols out to make hay on social media rather than legislate. But few of them can hold a candle to the dangerously shambolic members of Team Biden.