Biden's Misguided Global Crusade

Source: AUN News

Biden has a goal in mind! He is making calls, bending elbows, speeches, and advocating for a cause. The only difference is that it’s not voting rights, ending gun violence, or safeguarding abortion rights or the environment. Instead, he is busy forging a network of alliances akin to the Cold War to protect the “rules-based world order” from renegade nations like China and Russia.

For Biden, building this network is the most important task we have at hand. It appears he is channeling Cold War strategists like Dean Acheson, Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and others. He made the statement in Poland on March 26 after being inspired by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, using language that is all too reminiscent of those early Cold War initiatives: “we emerged anew in the great battle for freedom: a battle between democracy and autocracy, liberty and repression.” But like in that earlier era, Biden’s initiatives are likely to quicken the militarization of the world while giving “our” autocracies, like Saudi Arabia and Hungary, diplomatic cover. And while Biden travels the globe in search of partners, critical domestic issues that impact most Americans will go neglected.

Think about this As part of this effort, Biden has, since January 1, visited Israel and Saudi Arabia (July 13-16), Belgium and Poland (March 23–26), South Korea and Japan (May 24-28), Germany and Spain (June 25–30), and South Korea and Belgium (March 23–26). At the White House, he has also had meetings and phone conversations with the presidents of those and other friendly countries. The theme has been the same throughout all these gatherings and discussions: Join me in creating a global network of democratic and law-abiding nations to isolate authoritarian and rule-defying regimes like Russia and China.

On March 26, he said in Warsaw, Poland, “That’s why I came to Europe again this week with a clear and determined message for NATO [and] for all freedom-loving nations.” “We must promise to stay in this battle for the long term. For the upcoming years and decades, as well as today, tomorrow, and the day after, we must continue to be united.

At the same time, walking and chewing gum.

When asked why such a demanding trip was necessary at a time when the war in Ukraine still required Biden’s daily attention and the country was experiencing a rash of mass shootings (the Buffalo market shooting occurred on May 14, the Uvalde school massacre ten days later), White House officials insisted it was necessary to demonstrate that Biden could “walk and chew gum at the same time”—that is, rally Europe against Russia while also surrounding China with troops.

While in Asia, Biden met with Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea’s newly elected conservative president, and Kishida Fumio, Japan’s freshly appointed conservative prime minister. In both encounters, Biden reaffirmed the United States’ long-standing defense alliances with each nation and praised its leaders’ redoubled efforts to establish a “regional rules-based order.” This lofty strategic goal encompasses their immediate regions, Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Presidents Biden and Yoon, for instance, “reaffirmed their commitment” to “lawful unimpeded commerce” and “lawful use of the seas” in “the South China Sea and beyond” in a joint statement released in May 21. They also “reiterated that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is crucial to security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.”

Although China isn’t explicitly mentioned in either this statement or the comments made by Biden and Prime Minister Kishida following their meetings in Tokyo, the language used—hinting at teamwork to defend Taiwan and maintain open sea lanes—suggests agreement with Biden’s objective of encircling China with hostile military alliances.

Another example of this motivation can be seen in the way Biden used his trip to Tokyo to organize a summit of the leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (or “Quad”), a loose military alliance between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States that aims to restrain China’s geopolitical ambitions broadly. Biden also stressed his desire to bring together like-minded nations in an international campaign to isolate Russia and China. In a news conference held after the summit, he criticized Russia for its brutal invasion of Ukraine. He hinted that similar destabilizing forces were present in Asia and demanded that the Quad step up its efforts to counter them.

I was juggling, walking, and chewing gum all at once!

Before departing on another mission to forge alliances in Germany and Spain (on June 24), Biden was only back in Washington for four weeks. Then, for just two weeks more before heading to the Middle East (on July 12).

While traveling to Europe, Biden attended a summit of NATO leaders in Madrid as well as a meeting of the G7 group of developed economies at Schloss Elmau in Bavaria. By convincing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to drop his opposition to the move, Biden was able to secure a joint $600 billion commitment to the Partnership on Global Infrastructure and Investment, a half-baked rival to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, at the first of these. In the second, he assisted in Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO.

Erdogan has the right to veto any proposed membership agreements because NATO decisions must be reached by consensus. The adoption by NATO of a new strategic paradigm that recognizes China and Russia as severe threats to alliance security was another important White House goal that Biden oversaw.

After making final preparations for a coordinated European and Asian campaign to isolate Russia and China, Biden focused on the Middle East. According to the media, Biden’s primary goal in making the trip was to get Saudi Arabia to increase oil production, which would assist cut gas costs in the US and support Democrats in the mid-term elections, who are perceived as weak on the topic of inflation.

However, to counter Chinese influence in the region and establish a Middle Eastern version of the US-led networks being built in Europe and Asia to isolate Russia and China was another critical goal recognized by those who could read between the lines. You could describe this as attempting to walk, chew gum, and juggle all at once.

Even though the kingdom’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (also known as MBS), has been accused by human rights organizations and the Central Intelligence Agency of orchestrating the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in October 2018, the U.S. Vice President for National Security Affairs promised to share cutting-edge US telecom technology with the Saudis and to recognize the kingdom as a legitimate member of the rule-abiding international order to counter Beijing’s growing influence in the region.

After discussing with the Saudis and other Middle Eastern leaders, Biden declared, “This trip is about repositioning America in this area for the future.” “We will not allow Russia or China to fill a void in the Middle East.”

The Incorrect Crusade at the Incorrect Time

Despite the widespread perception that he is clumsy and lazy, Biden has shown tenacity and leadership in his drive to create a new Cold War-like web of pro-US alliances. However, this has cost us dearly at home. Biden has been chiefly MIA during a period when the United States has been plagued by crises relating to abortion, gun rights, severe storms, and heat waves, skyrocketing inflation, and challenges to our democracy. Perhaps our home political environment would not be as intimidating as it now seems if he had given any of these threats the same amount of effort he has given to forging international alliances.

On the other hand, there are valid worries about Biden’s foreign policy initiatives. Yes, Russia represents a serious military threat to the security of Europe. The United States is bound by the NATO agreement to support its partners in Europe in the event of an armed attack. However, should the US president be in charge of planning Europe’s defense rather than European leaders? And China indeed presents several difficulties for the US and its allies. But is it really in our best interests to be escalating our hostilities with China at a time when our ability to address shared issues like climate change, supply chain disruptions, and global pandemics depends on China’s cooperation?

More comparative, any comparative assessment of Biden’s stated intentions would reveal enormous contradictions. In each of his foreign endeavors, he has claimed that his primary objective is to defend the sphere of democratic and law-abiding countries against autocratic, rules-defying states. But this claim falls apart on even the most glancing inspection. Hungary, one of NATO’s so-called “frontline” states, is ruled by the autocratic regime of Viktor Orbán and maintains close ties with Moscow. India, a vital member of the Quad, is led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been accused of consistently violating the rights of the country’s sizeable Muslim minority. And to include Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern dictatorships in a network of “free” and “democratic” states is an insult to all of us.

Additionally, it is offensive to all of us put Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern dictatorships in a network of “free” and “democratic” nations.

A presidential team that is laser-focused on the issues and risks that everyday Americans face, as well as the growing threats to our democracy, would be necessary, according to any careful assessment of the current state of America’s national interests. Biden should be at the White House day and night leading the fight to defend those values here in the United States if he truly genuinely about what he claims he does—democracy and human rights above all.

Analysis by: Advocacy Unified Network

3 COMMENTS

Sam Polkar 29/07/2022 At 2:36 pm

Is this a trend of Trump coming back?

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Bob Stone 29/07/2022 At 2:58 pm

Trump will be the next President of America

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D john 29/07/2022 At 3:04 pm

I think America must think of a better young alternative

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