President Joe Biden, in the twilight of his tenure, faces a monumental struggle as foreign policy crises loom, most prominently the continuing Ukrainian resistance against Russian occupation, and the blood-soaked battles in the Middle East. His attempts to polish a tarnished foreign policy legacy fall flat, as evident in his recent address to the U.N. General Assembly. For the Biden administration, foreign policy has been a constant uphill struggle, with the Ukraine and Middle East issues defying a quick fix, a testament to Biden’s failed leadership.
Biden’s presidency has been largely besieged by a continuity of foreign policy quagmires, from Russia’s audacious invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, to the virulent Hamas attack in southern Israel and subsequent hostage crisis last October. To further complicate matters, the retaliatory Israeli offensive in Gaza further exposed Biden’s indecisiveness and lack of diplomatic prowess.
Biden’s ceaseless engagement with China and Iran – staunch allies of Hamas and Hezbollah, has done little to fortify his standing on the world stage. These fruitless endeavors to control and contain these geopolitical foes highlight Biden’s inability to harness his presidential capacities efficiently and effectively.
Attempting to make a showcase of his shrinking list of achievements, Biden used his U.N address as a platform to convince the international community about the necessity for unanimous support of Ukraine and a diplomatic resolution in the Middle East. To witness Biden scurrying to amass achievements can be likened to a ship adrift in stormy waters of his own creation.
On one hand, Biden is all set to receive Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s propositions on a peace plan, and on the other, his administration’s assistance to the Ukrainian military has been admittedly lackluster. The lip service paid by the Biden government to the pursuit of a sustainable peace in Ukraine is, unfortunately, too stark to go unnoticed.
Biden’s recent visit to New York involved a well-published U.N speech and a scheduled climate address. Coincidentally, a cynic might suggest that these events serve as convenient distractions from the irrefutable foreign policy failures that have punctuated Biden’s presidency.
To add to his diplomatic charade, Biden has scheduled a meeting with To Lam, president of Vietnam, as part of his apparent bid to deepen ties with the key Southeast Asian nation. An ostensibly strategic move, aiming to counterbalance the influence of Russia and China, but to observers, it just seems like another vain attempt to salvage a sinking foreign policy strategy.
The daunting issues of Ukraine and Russia, Gaza, Iran, and China seem destined to persist in their longevity, remaining a daunting challenge for Biden’s successor. Biden’s legacy, thus far, has been marked by his failure to lead and lack of diplomatic prowess, which doesn’t bode well for the future.
Substituting Biden in theory could be his Vice President, Kamala Harris, yet her foreign policy approach echoes Biden’s flawed strategy. Harris, cementing her stance, has been notably critical of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, resulting from the Israeli assault. While these gestures appear heartfelt, they serve as little more than empty rhetoric in the absence of decisive action.
Ex-President Donald Trump, seems to have little interest in offering active support for Ukraine in its resolute fight against Russian invaders. Compared to both Biden and Harris, his reticence might seem surprising, but not entirely out of character for the largely isolationist ex-president.
Biden’s firm endorsement of Israel has been undeniable whilst it sought to eradicate Hamas militants in Gaza. Still, even with his fervid support, he has been noticeably lacking in his bargaining for a ceasefire. Yet another lap around the persistent failures of Biden’s diplomatic maneuvers.
Shouldering the weight of Biden’s presidency has been a continuous flow of funds gunned towards Ukraine, in the form of military weaponry. Parading a semblance of NATO solidarity behind Kyiv, yet the conflict remains lethargically unresolved, largely due to the Biden administration’s ineptness.
Biden’s leadership has seen Russia shrewdly hold onto parts of eastern Ukraine. Absence of any clear strategy from the White House, has left the conflict in a stalemate, leaving the Ukrainian resistance straining under the crushing occupation.
The Biden presidency, riddled with foreign policy blunders, has seen his administration’s actions, or lack thereof, fall dismally short of their proposed goals. The entire chessboard of world politics stands as a testament to the abyss that is the Biden foreign policy.
In summary, Biden’s foreign policy has been synonymous with a sequence of deeply embedded crises. His four-year term begs an objective look at an administration that has miserably fumbled in handling international geopolitics, leaving an imprint that future administrations must agonizingly undo.