Senator Bernie Sanders says he's concerned that the conflict in the Middle East may turn out to be President Joe Biden's "Vietnam."
Sanders says he's not comparing the two wars. Instead, he says they are both examples of how presidential support for a war that's dividing the Democratic Party can undermine an administration's domestic agenda.
He says this is what happened to former president Lyndon Johnson as Democratic opposition grew to the Vietnam War. Recently, Sanders told Vermont Public he's concerned the same situation could develop in the Middle East unless there's a cease-fire and an influx of humanitarian aid in Gaza.
"And it's not just young people. It is a significant part of the Democratic base," Sanders said. "And I fear very much that President Biden can also get caught up in a quagmire."
Sanders says he supports Biden's decision to withhold some military weapons from Israel if it launches an attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
More from Vermont Public:
- From outsider to Senate chair, what Sanders' incumbency means for Vermonters
- UVM student protesters take down pro-Palestinian encampment
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