The Allies Who Shamed Us

By Abe Greenwald

With Donald Trump’s about-face on Russia, it seems that the U.S. has finally come around to the correct positions on both Israel’s and Ukraine’s wars of survival. But it’s taken us a shamefully long time to get there. Over the past three-plus years, while foreign-policy discussions at home devolved into shabby partisan bickering, Israel and Ukraine were busy showing the U.S. what it means to defend the free world. 

We whined, and they fought. America should be somewhat humbled by this.

Yes, we’ve helped both Israel and Ukraine along the way. Thank God. Sometimes, we ramped up efforts to help them achieve key aims. Other times, we slowed or halted our support. But there never should have been any questions, on the right or left, about seeing both democratic U.S. allies through the duration of their fights against the most dangerous, anti-American forces on the planet. 

And yet, there were. We questioned, doubted, and even opposed the necessary actions of these two countries while they offered much-needed object lessons in daring and ingenuity. 

The right soured on Ukraine, and the left lost its mind over Israel. Why? Because the right fell prey to Vladimir Putin’s sob story about NATO encroachment, and the left drank up Hamas propaganda. The smartest, most advanced Western power in world history divided itself into two camps of dupes for the enemy. Anti-Semitism played a considerable role in the demonizing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a dominating role in the turn against Israel. Which only goes to show that Jew-hatred really is a sign of a manipulable people. 

But even before all that ugliness took over the culture, our leaders were defeatist in dealing with allies who exemplified fearlessness. This started with Joe Biden, who offered Zelensky a flight out of Ukraine before Putin invaded. To which Zelensky famously responded, “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.” Biden would provide the ammunition in fits and starts, too little, too late, and just enough to keep Ukraine from actually winning. 

The great American fear was always “escalation.” Which is also why Biden, who stood firm by Israel after October 7, began to change his tune, withhold support for the IDF, lecture Israel about its many alleged misdeeds, and propose cease-fire agreements with terrorists. The Biden administration’s timidity caused both wars to be longer and deadlier than they would otherwise have been. 

The Trump administration backed Israel to the hilt but wanted no part of “Biden’s war” in Ukraine. While Trump turned on Zelensky and grasped at the illusory prospect of peace with Putin, Russia exploited the opportunity to pound away at the Ukrainian civilian population.   

For Ukraine and Israel, the concept of escalation was always a misnomer. They were (and still are) in existential fights. The stakes don’t get any higher. And both Zelensky and Benjamin Netanyahu understood that their enemies are not the peace-deal type. So, without the full and continuous support of their most powerful ally, both countries tapped hidden domestic reservoirs of courage and genius. On land, sea, and air, Ukraine remade drone warfare from scratch, and eventually did the unthinkable: seizing (briefly) a chunk of Russian territory. Putin’s forces were supposed to take Kyiv in days. Here we are, three-and-a-half years later, and Russia is suffering more than ever. Hopefully, that war is about to turn more decisively in Ukraine’s favor.

Israel has taken intelligence, air defense, and military combat to science fictional levels, knocking out its enemies across the region in operations that will forever be legend. Israeli victory is at hand.

Both countries owe us some thanks for helping them when and where we have. But contrary to Vice President JD Vance, neither Israel nor Ukraine has ever stopped expressing their appreciation for American support (even at its most grudging). What has been in short supply, however, is our thanks to both our allies, for keeping up the fight against our common enemies while we figured out who we are and what we stand for. So, thank you.

Abe Greenwald is the executive editor of COMMENTARY.