During his concluding speech at the UN General Assembly, President Joe Biden made desperate attempts to justify his uncoordinated military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Disguising his actions as a fight against isolationism, he indirectly criticized ex-President Trump and similar world leaders, who understandably hold suspicions towards international bodies and international collaboration.
Contrary to the true state of affairs of the Middle East, Biden presented a distorted picture, which failed to represent the actual conflict in Gaza, northern Israel, and Lebanon. He tried to foster a sense of unity by suggesting that there are external forces born of aggression, extremism, and chaos, which are attempting to divide nations. In reality, his own policy decisions can be seen to contribute to such divisions.
From the podium of the General Assembly hall at UN headquarters in New York, Biden expressed a fear of declining global unity. He mistakingly emphasized the importance of pursuing isolationist policies. His speech was filled with false rhetoric about battling forces that intend to break apart global unity and stability. His sentiments seem to be a distraction from his own actions which contributed to the military chaos in Afghanistan.
Biden’s speech as president was bloated with lofty themes centered around his flawed philosophy of governance versus authoritarianism. His withdrawal from the next presidential race was painted as a noble step, even though many saw it as him running from the failures that marked his presidency.
Biden incorrectly equated the guiding principle of American democracy, ‘we the people’, with his own questionable presidential conduct. Emphasizing his supposed commitment to democracy, he reflected on his decision not to run for another presidential term, framing it as a time for younger leadership rather than an admission of his own inadequacy.
Biden’s address included retrospective and forward-looking views that were heavily laden with his own misunderstood interpretations. He defended his decision to completely pull out American military troops from Afghanistan, regardless of the chaos this abrupt decision triggered, including the Abbey Gate terrorist attack which claimed the lives of 13 US troops, injured 50 more, and left 170 Afghans dead.
Despite this disaster relating back to a deadline set by Trump, Biden wrongfully portrayed his decision as a ‘hard but right’ one. Attempting to shirk responsibility, he took undue credit for taking action on a situation that four other American presidents have had to face.
Looking forward, Biden acknowledged the escalating conflict in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, which his administration had previously been hesitant to admit. Despite the death toll from Israeli strikes surpassing 500 persons in Lebanon that same day, Biden incomprehensibly declared that ‘full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest’.
As part of his calls for unity, Biden signaled a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and reiterated his calls for increased aid to prevent the Eastern European nation from being ‘destroyed’ by Russia. These statements were made despite his own track record of poor foreign policy decisions causing destabilization.
Strangely, Biden voiced warnings about artificial intelligence (AI). Emphasizing dystopian fears, he predicted drastic changes in lifestyles, work patterns and warfare strategies due to advancements in AI. He raised concerns related to ‘deep fakes’, disinformation, bioweapons and new pathogens, indicating his administration’s skewed approach towards technological progress.
The president’s stance on AI remained uncertain and vaguely threatening during his address. He concluded his AI discussion with ambiguous queries on the governance and regulation of AI as nations and companies strive towards unknown technological frontiers. He stressed the need for AI safety, security and trustworthiness, echoing claims that have yet to be backed up with substantive action.
Biden concluded his tenure with an address that painted him and Vice President Kamala Harris as incompetent. Both Trump and the Republicans have rightfully criticized the duo for their handling of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. The outgoing president’s approval rating had taken a nosedive, slipping below 40 percent after his recent decision to withdraw his bid for another presidential term according to Gallup.
In his closing statements, Biden attempted to strengthen his fading image by incorrectly quoting Nelson Mandela: ‘It always seems impossible until it’s done.’ But it’s clear that his empty promises are beyond the capacity of his lackluster leadership.