U.S. 'Can't Let' Terrorists And Tyrants Win, Biden Says

Washington D.C./19.10.23/Turan:   U.S. President Joe Biden during his rare primetime address from the Oval Office on Thursday night, drew a direct link between Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine and Hamas attack on Israel and urged Americans not to walk away from their role as 'a beacon to the world,' TURAN's Washington correspondent reports from the White House.

“Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: they both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy,” Biden said, adding "We can't let terrorists like Hamas and Putin win!"

Biden made his case for supporting Israel and Ukraine, saying that “the world is watching.”  He went on to elaborate: "History has taught us, when terrorists don't pay a price for their terror, when dictators don't pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction. They keep going."

This was Biden's second Oval Office speech as he was sitting behind the Resolute desk with flagg and family photos. First lady Jill Biden was seated along the wall closest to him.

Biden's 15-minute address sought to weave the Ukraine and Middle East conflicts together to convince his voters and hardline Republicans of America’s obligations.

He confirmed he will ask U.S. Congress for billions of dollars in funding for Israel and Ukraine, as he admitted that abandoning American allies was "just not worth it"

The address followed Biden's whirlwind trip to Tel Aviv. Hamas, he said, had unleashed “pure unadulterated evil in the world” and he met Israelis in “deep, deep pain”, reiterated the U.S. support for them but warned Israelis not to make the same “mistakes” the U.S. did following the 9/11 terror attacks.

Biden went on to add, "And here in America, let us not forget who we are. We reject all forms, all forms of hate, whether against Muslims, Jews or anyone. That's what great nations do, and we are a great nation."

He continued: "American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us, America, safe. American values are what make us a partner that other nations want to work with. To put all that at risk -- if we walk away from Ukraine, if we turn our backs on Israel -- it’s just not worth it."

Biden then took a moment to reflect on his surprise visit to Ukraine earlier this year, first arriving in Poland and then taking a 10-hour train ride to Kyiv, to mark one year since the start of Russia's war. He said he was bringing "the promise of America to the people who today are fighting for the same things we fought for 250 years ago."

On Thursday, just a few hours before his speech, Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Zelenskyy thanked him for the ongoing U.S. assistance. according to the White House readout of the call.  "President Biden underscored the continued strong bipartisan support in the United States for Ukraine’s defense of its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and democratic future," reads the readout.

While Biden did not mention a specific number for his forthcoming request to Congress, he called it "a smart investment that’s going to pay dividends for American security for generations... help us build a world that is safer and more peaceful and more prosperous for our children and grandchildren."

Alex Raufoglu