OPINION:
The hostage situation in Gaza is a repeat of the one in Iran in 1979. Jimmy Carter was a failed president then and Joe Biden is a failed president now.
President Barack Obama and President Biden are the ones who established Hamas in Qatar and allowed them to gain control of Gaza. Iran is using Mr. Biden to create its advantage over the U.S. and Israel. The Hamas-Israel war is not only about Israel; it is a threat from Iran and China to the United States.
Remember that President Ronald Reagan did not put up with hostages being held by Iran. He told Iran that if it did not release the hostages, he as the new president would bomb and kill them. Our hostages were released. Donald Trump would have done the same if he were in the White House now. Iran would believe Mr. Trump, but it neither fears nor believes Mr. Biden because he is so compromised by China and Russia.
Any American leader besides Mr. Biden would have given Iran a choice: Release our hostages from your proxy Hamas or suffer the military consequences.
The Biden administration is trying to cut this war down the middle to please both Israel supporters and the pro-Palestinian contingent in the U.S. (i.e., far-left Democrats) so he can get votes in the 2024 election. Mr. Biden is putting Israeli and American lives at risk to satisfy his own political career.
A strong American leader with the military to enforce a demand would challenge Iran, but we will need to elect Mr. Trump again in 2024 to get this type of leadership and backbone.
CHUCK FLOYD
Machipongo, Virginia
