Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who served in that capacity for George W. Bush and Barack Obama from December 2006 to July 2011, wrote a book in 2014, in which he claimed that then Vice-President Joe Biden had been wrong on ‘almost every foreign policy’ for the forty years he had been in the government by that time. Included in Gates’ assessment of Biden were issues with Ronald Reagan’s Cold War strategies, which brought that conflict to an end, Biden’s vote to go into Iraq (twice), and policy differences on Afghanistan, among other global issues.
Yet Gates did endorse Biden for President in 2020, even though in an interview in June 2019 he said that ‘I stand by that statement’. Gates’ preferred candidate won* the Presidency; in fact, Gates claimed that Biden was competent and able to handle the work of the Presidency. How, then, has Biden fared in his foreign policy forays in his first 80 days in office? A look at nine nations will show just how good * is at foreign affairs.
First up is Russia. In 2012, Biden was part of an administration that downplayed the role Russia played as a competitor for the U. S. As President*, with a nation that has thousands of nuclear warheads, Biden insulted the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, by claiming that he was a killer. This was done in an interview on national television; immediately Putin recalled his ambassador back to Moscow for ‘consultations.’ Putin requested a face-to-face meeting with his U. S. counterpart; Biden refused.
Now another flash point between the two nations has arisen. Ukraine and Russia are massing military personnel and hardware on their common border, and it seems that a ‘war’ might break out. The most important nations are calling for calm and for negotiations — the U. K., France, Germany and the U. S. So what does Biden do? He deploys two warships of ours to the Black Sea, a direct affront to the Russian nation. His foreign policy acumen does not look too good at the present time.
The Hermit Kingdom is another case against Biden’s expertise in foreign policy. Under former President Donald Trump, North Korea has been partially defanged. Kim Jong Un had not had test fired missiles which could reach neighboring nations. When Biden’s administration reached out to for talks with that nation, the overtures were refused. In addition, North Korea has been testing missiles, ones that could carry nuclear weapons. Old Joe could use a little of the ‘amateur’ Trump’s successes.
Mexico has also felt the ham handedness of Joe Biden. The President* cancelled the agreement that kept illegal migrants in Mexico until their cases could be heard in the U. S. and his encouragement of undocumented people coming has put a strain on Mexico’s police and military. Mexico’s president has called Biden the ‘migrant President’. As a result of the mess made by our 78 year old leader, more people are coming across our southern border, including those with terrorist ties and from countries that would like to see us suffer.
Within a week of his becoming President*, Israel felt the back of Biden’s hand. Whereas previous Presidents reached out to our only true ally in the Middle East, the 46th President did not call Israel’s leader; and when contact was made, it was made by the Vice-President*, Kamala Harris. Israel’s implacable enemy, the Palestinians, have been emboldened, and have begun receiving our monetary aid, which had been cut off by the previous administration.
China is now flexing its muscle in Southeast Asia. Why? After a meeting with our new Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, China’s leaders seem to feel they have a free hand and do not worry about our commitment to allies in the region. In the meeting in Alaska with China’s top diplomats, our representatives had to endure a 17 minute lecture about our human rights failures while complaining about us even mentioning the manner in which the Chinese are treating the Muslim minority in western China. Military threats, even against Taiwan, are being made because the U. S., under Biden’s leadership, has become less of a threat to them.
The administration of Joe Biden has slighted Canada’s leader, bombed Syria, and tried to reengage the Iranians by unfreezing funds they have in the U. S. Space could be used to discuss what has been done with the Afghan war, which was being wound down by Trump, with our troops scheduled to be out of there by early May, but Biden has determined that we will stay longer in a region in which we have been fighting for almost 20 years.
Since January 20, when Biden was inaugurated, the United States has gone from being respected by our allies and feared by our enemies to losing respect and having no nation fear us.
Perhaps in his reflective moments, Robert Gates will realize that Biden continues to be wrong on foreign policy issues, and is not really competent at being President*.