Biden‘s presidency will be remembered as a failure to lead with clarity. His ego and missteps in foreign policy have put the U.S. democratic system and Western stability at risk.
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris (L) and U.S. president Joe Biden (R) greet each other during the first day at the Democratic National Convention, in Chicago, IL on August 19, 2024. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
The history of the United States will probably judge Joe Biden negatively. He had a single mission: to save the democracy. But his ego could have put that cause in danger, not only in America but throughout the West.
Biden, given his age, was expected to serve only one term as president. His task was to defeat the then-U.S. president Donald Trump in 2020 and then help cultivate young leaders who could challenge Trump in 2024. The trappings and ego of power seemed to overwhelm him before old age set in, and it was already too late.
Kamala Harris, the U.S. vice president, struggled to shine in the 2020 primaries. Her 2024 presidential campaign has always been a steep battle. Her failure to present an agenda beyond opposing Trump ultimately cost her. She appeared to be more concerned with avoiding mistakes rather than establishing a strong vision of the country. Her economic platform was at best vague — at least Trump’s goals on tariffs and immigration, deregulation and energy were clearly defined.
Biden’s foreign policies also had a major impact on Harris’ prospects. Biden’s decisions on foreign policy have been generally disastrous.
First, the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan has undermined U.S. trust, echoing previous failures in Iraq.
Second, Biden’s team undervalued the threat posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Russia, and chose to prioritize China. This almost gave Putin the green light to invade Ukraine, as he saw the West as weak. Biden made a fundamental mistake by identifying China as the primary danger. While it may be a longer-term concern, Russia was the immediate existential threat to Western liberal democracy.
Xi Jinping is content with the status quo of globalization, believing that it will eventually lead to Chinese dominance. The West had plenty of time to deal with China, but it may not have survived if Putin was left unchecked. Biden’s team messed up the order of priority.
Third, Ukraine would have been a major win for Biden. At different points in the war, Ukraine seemed to be on the verge of victory but needed the West’s funding and weapons to achieve it. Biden’s team, however, consistently displayed caution, whereas Putin’s’red lines’ proved to be more flexible than feared. Missed opportunities only re-energized Putin’s campaign, costing countless Ukrainians their lives and leading to a long war of attrition.
In the absence of decisive leadership from the United States, its policy was often a “highest commonality” approach, which aimed to unite allies but failed to provide Ukraine enough support to win. The country received just enough aid to make it through, but not enough to win. There was a lack in strategic, cohesive thinking about Ukraine.
Fourth, the Middle East. Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Adviser Chief, made ironic remarks just before October 7 – that the region had been calmest in years – which showed the administration’s lack foresight. The focus on the Abraham Accords is misguided, and shows a lack of understanding of the region. Harris’ popularity with Muslim voters was also hurt by the administration’s failure in holding Israel accountable for its retaliatory acts following the events of Oct. 7. The U.S. appeared to be a leaderless country in the region. This may have resonated with American voters.
In reality, the U.S. and the West have appeared to be lacking in leadership on many issues of foreign policy.
There’s a lot of nervousness in the air about the incoming Trump Administration. Putin’s power would likely increase if Trump pulled support from Ukraine. In the Middle East Trump’s policies will likely favor Israel more, increasing tensions with Iran. This could pose significant risks and challenges to Europe, as a U.S. – Israel conflict with Iran is becoming more likely.
This is without even considering the possibility of further deterioration of U.S.-China relationships if Trump returns aggressive tariffs. It’s fair for voters to wonder if this could be worse than Biden’s current trajectory, but many seem to have concluded that it might not be.
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed by the authors in the op/ed section do not necessarily reflect those of the Kyiv Independent.
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