Republican presidential candidates don’t see firsthand how the U.S. should support Israel in an all-out war against Hamas — with some candidates, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and biotech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy pushing for isolation and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley pledging to give Israel “whatever they need.”
In addition to Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former Vice President Mike Pence, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie have expressed more hawkish views – including openness to US military involvement – while former President Donald Trump has been largely unclear on his policy.
Ramaswamy has been the most vocal against giving any additional aid to Israel.
He has argued for “no money” to the Jewish state for its war against Hamas, telling Axios that the US should only provide a “diplomatic Iron Dome” for Israel to protect its national sovereignty.
The 38-year-old longshot also said it would be a good idea to “raise Israel on its own feet,” while his campaign has said Israel’s sacrifice would be “ridiculous” at “any time in the future.”
Ramaswamy has been one of the GOP’s staunchest defectors, saying he will give Israel “no money” in its war against Hamas.AP
DeSantis, for his part, said the best way America can support Israel is to emphasize that it “has the right to defend itself.”
However, DeSantis also said that the conflict is ultimately “Israel’s war.”
“In all of Israel’s 75-year conflict, you know, US ground forces have not been a part of that. There is no basis to do so for us. I don’t think that’s really where we’re going to show support. I think where we show support is primarily the moral clarity to say Israel has a right to defend itself, and they have a right to eliminate Hamas,” DeSantis told the “Megyn Kelly Show” earlier this month.
DeSantis said he doesn’t think sending US troops is how “we’re going to show support.”
In a recent Newsmax interview with Eric Bolling, DeSantis declined to provide additional military aid to Israel beyond “the ongoing military support we have with Iron Dome and all that” and that he doesn’t think America will take the “lead” in military support.
“I think we just need to openly support them. I think personally we want to say, ‘Do what you have to do.’ Yes, whatever military support we have with the Iron Dome and all that, we should continue that. But I don’t think it’s going to be a situation where America has to take the lead in that. I don’t think we should. I don’t think it’s our war. I think it’s Israel’s war,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis spokesman Bryan Griffin later explained to The Post that DeSantis supports military aid to Israel to “make sure they get everything they ask for.”
“Ron DeSantis not only supports military aid to Israel to ensure they get everything they ask for and need to eradicate Hamas and defend their homeland, he has already led the way in the last two weeks by helping provide Israel with body armor and body armor. drones, as well as assisted by helping private companies to facilitate the transfer of M-4 weapons to Israel, through his authority as Governor of Florida,” Griffin said.
On Thursday, Florida’s governor said he plans to provide military equipment such as drones, weapons and ammunition to Israel, The Associated Press reported.
The move marks another instance in which DeSantis has used his gubernatorial powers to provide wartime support, after arranging flights to bring home hundreds of Americans.
A picture taken from the southern Israeli city of Sderot on October 26, 2023, shows black smoke billowing in the northern Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. AFP via Getty Images
On the other hand, Haley, with whom the governor of Florida has repeatedly debated the prospect of the influx of Gaza refugees, is more supportive of providing aid to Israel, opening the door to give the Jewish state “anything they need” with “no questions asked.”
The former UN ambassador also said the US should be open to giving Israel “equipment, ammunition, intelligence” and that he would not talk about “restraint” or a “truce.”
“We have to stay focused. We should focus on three things: One, support Israel with whatever they need whenever they need it. Two, eliminate Hamas and don’t stop until we do, and three, do whatever it takes to bring our hostages home,” Haley told Iowa’s KCRG-TV Monday.
“When the blame is directed at Israel, don’t listen. This is Hamas at work. Remember, Hamas is the one who committed the atrocities. Hamas is the one who will try and make this look like Israel. We need to support Israel unapologetically. No questions asked,” Haley said on Fox News’ “Hannity” last week.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has expressed similar views to Haley, calling for providing Israel with “maximum political and military support” as it wages war against Islamic terror groups.
Nikki Haley said she should “do whatever it takes to bring our hostages home.”REUTERS
Pence and Scott have slammed the “America First” policies of Ramaswamy, DeSantis and Trump, arguing their ideology partly led to Hamas attacking Israel on Oct. 7.
“This is what happens when we have leading voices like Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis signaling a retreat from America’s role as leader of the free world,” the former vice president said in an Oct. 8 CNN interview.
Pence, Scott and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson are the only White House contenders who have explicitly stated they would have American troops or special forces on the ground in Gaza.
“If I were the president, I would have already called with the Joint Special Operations Command, I would have ordered the Delta Force and the Navy SEALs to be ready to work with the Israel Defense Forces to be involved in the rescue of the hostages and then I would tell Hamas that you have– you have 12 hour to release every American, every Israeli hostage or we’re going to come and get them,” Pence told CNN’s Jake Tapper Oct. 20.
South Carolina’s Tim Scott said he would send Special Forces to get American hostages out of Gaza if he had to.AP
“I will ask Congress to authorize military force against Hamas,” Hutchinson said on NewsNation Oct. 19.
“We need to rescue the American hostages and get them out. Period. We need to bring the Americans home immediately. Use our Special Forces if we have to,” Scott said in an Oct. 10 Hudson Institute speech.
Christie, in an interview with Fox News, said sending in US troops would not be his “first instinct,” but would do so if “Israel’s existence” was at stake.
Meanwhile, GOP front-runner Trump has claimed the unprecedented Hamas attack would not have happened under his watch, and that he would “stand with Israel 100%” and “not let them fail” if he was in the White House.
Trump did not directly comment on whether he would support more military aid or a US military presence, and his campaign did not immediately respond to inquiries from The Post Thursday.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
