If you don’t like the principles of the Biden administration’s foreign policy, it has others. Before Israel assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Sept. 27, President Joe Biden called for a “ceasefire” on the Israel-Lebanon border. After Israel did civilization a favor by killing the world’s top terrorist, Biden called the operation a “measure of justice” for the victims of Nasrallah’s four-decade “reign of terror.” A few days later, on Oct. 1, the president called for a “ceasefire now” between Israel and Hezbollah. Then, when Iran lobbed more than 180 missiles at Israel, he asserted Israel’s right to fight back. But not really.

On Oct. 2, Biden said he thought the Israeli response should be “proportional” and should not involve hitting Iran’s illicit nuclear sites. He didn’t say whether he meant proportional to the assault, which would mean Israel firing 180 missiles at Iran, or proportional to the cost, which was minimal due to Israel’s triple-layered air defense system and the discreet support of its allies, or proportional to the strategic consequences.