Plus, why RFK Jr.’s vice president picks give a glimpse into the campaign’s social media strategy.

By Samuel Benson

3 things to know

Joe Biden is walking a tightrope with Israel, as Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in Washington — criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership Thursday and called for a two-state solution.

The big idea

Biden’s other Middle East problem

Ever since Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, the Biden White House has made Middle East foreign policy a chief concern. Nearly every White House press briefing has included an update on negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Biden’s State of the Union speech — a formality usually focused on domestic policy, except in times of war — prioritized declarations of support for Israel and Ukraine before mentioning many issues at home.

The war is weighing on Biden’s reelection efforts, too. While some conservatives have praised Biden’s measured approach, some progressive voters have begun to abandon Biden. Though the president secured the Democratic nomination this week, he will need to regain his party’s left in order to win in November.

But another growing threat in the Middle East poses a threat to American security — and Biden’s response could be detrimental to his reelection campaign.

Iran, the leading state sponsor of terrorism globally, has increased aggression in the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel. Since Oct. 7, Iranian-backed militia groups have launched over 170 attacks on American troops stationed in Iraq and Syria. In late January, an Iran-backed drone strike killed three U.S. service members in Jordan. The attacks were motivated by the U.S.’ support for Israel, the militant groups claimed; the U.S. responded with a series of airstrikes.

The attacks subsequently paused, and as Politico reported, over a month has passed since an Iranian-backed attack on U.S. troops. But the Houthi rebels continued to attack Israeli and other countries’ commercial vessels in the Red Sea, leading the U.S. to hold indirect negotiations with Iranian officials, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Now, Republican legislators are criticizing the Biden administration of a double-standard in its policy toward Iran...

https://www.deseret.com/politics/2024/03/15/biden-iran-middle-east-policy-2024-election/