The Duran Podcast
Biden calls Netanyahu. Biden calls Xi Jinping
All right, Alexander, let's talk about the Biden Netanyahu phone call, which took place the other day. I've read reports, which say it's been about a month since Biden has actually spoken to Netanyahu. So this was an important phone call between Biden and Netanyahu and the basic readouts are telling us that Biden gave Netanyahu a warning. To look after the civilians in Gaza or else the US might do something. No details were given. From what I understand, Biden had a list of certain things that the US might do to Israel if Netanyahu doesn't agree with what Biden told him. That's what we know. What are your thoughts about this phone call between Biden and Netanyahu? Well, the trouble is we've heard about this so many times now since the Israelis began their operation in Gaza. We've been told about how, you know, Biden is having, you know, he's really lost patience with Netanyahu. He's going to turn tough on Netanyahu. He's, you know, his patience is almost exhausted with Netanyahu. And this is just another variant of that same story, that same narrative. And there's even some confusion as to exactly what he did say because some say that he gave a warning to Netanyahu. And a warning is something that Netanyahu is going to just disregard because he's had lots of warnings before. And he's always ignored those warnings and nothing has happened. But there are other reports that saying that Biden gave Netanyahu some kind of ultimatum, that the United States insists now on an immediate ceasefire. I cannot imagine Netanyahu agreeing to an immediate ceasefire, in which case, what does Biden actually do? So once again, I think this is all about news management, management of the situation, the political situation within the United States. Israel has done some things that I think many people in the US are concerned about. It attacked a consular building attached to the Iranian embassy in Damascus. Well, that to me is a very shocking and worrying thing. But I think most people in the United States probably don't know much about it because it hasn't been reported. But then we had this attack on this. I always forget his own world kitchen group. Westerners were killed, lots of talk about a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Biden has to manage that in some way. So we know we get the story that he gave this warning to Netanyahu. And I think what's probably going to happen is that we're going to get assurances that Israelis have noted Biden's warning and they're going to act on it. And we might see a few crossing points opened here and there. And a few promises of protection for more aid workers and that kind of thing. But in substance, I don't think anything's going to change. Yeah, I mean, just a couple of days ago, the Pentagon, the agreement, a whole ton of weapons to Israel. So I mean, you know, the Biden White House, they say one thing. And then it goes through the media that Biden is looking for a ceasefire, he's pressing for a ceasefire. And he's sending Blink into the Middle East so they can talk about ceasefire deal. But the actions, the actions say something totally, totally different, which is that that the United States continues to support the war. Which doesn't just support the war. It continues to give Israel in effect, carplanche. I mean, that the Israelis are still unable to do whatever it is they want to do in Gaza, or haven't helped us in Lebanon, where there's again talk about enlarging the war towards Hezbollah. And of course, we've seen this attack against the Iranian consular building in Damascus. So I think that Netanyahu, by the way, launched that attack on that embassy complex in Damascus. Again, very much with the intention of sending a message to the Americans saying, I'm not going to be pushed around. I'm going to do whatever I want. And I'm going to call your bluff. And if you threaten me, I'm not going to listen. And of course, if the Iranians fall into my trap and act against me and try to take some action against Israel, well, then I am confident that the Americans, my friends in the United States, will push to enlarge the war. And that is, of course, anyway, exactly what I've always wanted. So I think this is what Netanyahu is doing. And I think that's his calculation. And so far, he has been proved consistently right about it. What this is going to do, by the way, it's not going to help Biden in the year. He's again said he wants an immediate ceasefire. He again says that he's given all these warnings to the Israelis. We'll have a few days, maybe, when people will wait to see what comes of that, when things continue as always. Then I think all that will do is damage Biden's reputation in the U.S. even more. Yeah, the problem that the Biden White House has is they don't want to stop the war. They don't really care that much about what's happening in Gaza. Their problem, the Biden White House, why they're so concerned about all of this, is 100% about the elections. That's my take on it. I think if we were not in an election cycle, I don't think the Biden White House would be that concerned about or would not be putting out the messaging, the illusion that they're looking for a ceasefire, that they're pressing Netanyahu for a ceasefire. The reason that they want to show this concern is because of the elections. And they understand that they're losing votes in swing states and imported battleground states. Absolutely. And of course, the other thing that they must be alarmed about is that Donald Trump very unexpectedly has come out in criticizing Israel in ways that are likely to attract those voters. So it's probably not what they expected him to do. And it's wrong footed them. And I think I completely agree with your analysis. I think it's all about the election. I think it's about anything else. They've never shown any real interest in Gaza or what is going on there. They don't want a general war in the Middle East. At least some of them don't. Some of them probably do actually. But there is that or was that tension we've talked about it before. There's a few people maybe Blinken who worried about the overall effect on America's position in the Middle East. But you're absolutely right. The core group around the president himself, Sullivan, and the others. It's the election that for them is of paramount importance and provided they can manage the story as they think. They don't really care. The trouble with this is what it's actually doing is that it's making Biden look duplicitous and weak. It makes it seem to many people in the U.S. as if Netanyahu is running things. It's making Biden look disloyal to Israel amongst Israeli supporters and weak towards Israel amongst those who think that the United States ought to be taking a stronger line. And as it conveys weakness from the president of the United States. And I think that's never a good look for a president. But particularly perhaps a president with the age related issues that we all know Biden has. Yeah, you're right. And on the other side of things it's losing the Biden White House a key voting demographic. The key voting demographic, the young voter, the progressive voters, the Muslim voters in states like Michigan. He's not going to be able to come back from this. And he's incapable of finding a ceasefire because at the end of the day Biden, like the man Biden and his team, most of his team, they have zero interest in the Middle East. Their interest was always with Project Ukraine. Yes. That was their baby. Yes. The Middle East to them was third, fourth, fifth down the list. Absolutely. You saw that when Biden went to Israel, gave Netanyahu cart blouse, came back to the United States, gave one of the most disastrous Oval Office addresses to the American people. I have ever seen most of which was about Ukraine. Not even about the Middle East, not even about Israel. I mean, that is where his obsession is. This is a decision. What about that? It's exactly exactly. He was hoping Biden was hoping that if he gave Netanyahu cart blanche, Netanyahu would be able to do what he needs to do and it would be over in a month or two. That's what Biden was hoping because he just doesn't care about the minute. He never cared about the minutes. He doesn't care about the Middle East. His entire foreign policy as president hinges on Ukraine. So, yeah, that's, yeah. What do you make about the phone call between Biden and Xi Jinping? This is a most interesting phone call because he again came out of the blue and the Chinese were apparently taken by surprise and their readout, which is huge, always Chinese readouts are huge, by the way. The Chinese readout makes it very, very, I mean, he says straightforwardly that it was Biden who telephoned Xi and at the conversation took place at his request. Well, it's very difficult if you just read the readouts to understand why Biden calls Xi because as far as I can tell, they just went over all the same ground from the readouts. That's what the readouts would suggest to you. They just went over all the same ground that they've gone over many times. It did give Xi an opportunity to be particularly tough with Biden. In fact, I don't think I've seen Xi be quite as tough with Biden as he was in this call if you follow the Chinese readout. I mean, he said to Biden, well, you know, on the one hand, our relations are becoming, appear to be becoming more stable, but this isn't something that we should really bank on because in fact, they're getting worse and worse. I mean, that's there. The readout actually says that and the reason they're getting worse and worse is because it's your fault. You are not doing all the things that you promised in San Francisco. And then there's another part of the readout where Xi is stronger about Taiwan than I've ever known him. He said Taiwan is for China, the first red line, which must not be crossed. And he said, if it is, don't expect China to sit on its hands. I mean, it was an extremely tough statement from the Chinese. And, you know, I suspect that's the very watered down language of the readout. I suspect in practice, what Xi said to Biden would have been even stronger than that. But, you know, all right, Xi found the opportunity to say all of those things to Biden. That still doesn't explain why Biden called him. And in China, so I understand the rumors there, what social media and parts of the Chinese media would say, is a Biden called Xi to ask Xi for help with Putin over Ukraine. That he wanted Xi to lean on Putin to sort of stop the Russian advance and to prevent the offensive and to prevent, you know, the Russian breakthrough. And probably was trying to get Xi to get Putin to agree to the conflict freeze and all of that. And I can say absolutely, if that is what the Americans were asking the Chinese for, they will have got absolutely nowhere. Xi would have replied. And if you want to talk to anybody about that, you shouldn't be talking to me. You should be talking directly to Putin instead. I'm not a messenger boy, acting to carry your messages to Putin. You can just pick up the phone and call Putin and you can discuss it with him. I'm not a party to this conflict. I've set out my own views as to how it should be solved. Russian-Chinese relations are none of your business. Maybe Biden should not have called the Xi a dictator so many times. The worst policy president ever. That's the speculation in China, apparently. And apparently they're also linking it with Blinken's interview to the French media and local news call to Shoui Gu and Russia. The American lines up that the Americans were trying to get the Russians to agree to a conflict freeze and they were hoping to get the Chinese on site. Yeah, that makes sense. It absolutely makes sense. The worst foreign policy president, the worst foreign policy administration ever in the history of the United States. Oh, but he's the adult in the room, you see. He's got this colossal foreign policy experience. You know, going all the way back to the 60s. I mean, he's the man who knows about foreign policy. I mean, you mustn't say that because I mean, he's the ideal safe pair of hands in this time. The adults in the room, the adults are back in the White House, they told us. Exactly. The adults are back in the White House and the Biden is calling up. Xi Jinping to call Putin in order to get a freeze. Yeah, I agree with you. I mean, the worst foreign policy president I have ever known. And, you know, I can remember other times and foreign policy wasn't handled particularly well, but I've never known anything like this. Yeah. All right. We will leave it there at the Durant. Locals.com. We are on Rumble Odyssey Bitchy, Telegram, RockFit, and TwitterX and go to the Durant shop. Pick up some limited edition. merch. The link is in the description box down below. Take care. [Music]