Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates famously said that "I think he's (Biden) been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades." Let's take a look at a few past examples, before we get to today.
Recall his January, 2022 press conference, during which he suggested that a "minor incursion" by Russia into Ukraine might be acceptable. Was that supposed to give comfort to the Ukrainian people, or any of our European allies. Anyway, big surprise. The next month - February, 2022 - Russia invaded Ukraine. I trust I need not remind everyone of the disastrous withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, because Biden was determined to exit before 9/1/2021.
In 2020 he criticized Saudi Arabia and sided with Yemen/the Houthis in their war. After becoming President, Biden took the Houthis off the list of terror organizations, after which they promptly attacked Western shipping in the Red Sea. Yes, he eventually put the Houthis back on the terror list, but after much damage had already been done. And the Houthis continue to act with impunity.
Remember the Abraham Accords? I guess Biden did not, as he has been unable to expand on it. However, he did restore funding to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, as well as to UNRWA in Gaza, a UN organization that has been shown to work hand in glove with Hamas. What did Biden ask in return for this largesse? You know, maybe commit to stop killing Jews. Nope. No such thing. But Trump did all that - cut off funding to the PA and UNRWA, as long as they participated in, or assisted in, the killing of Jews.
But let's talk about Iran. It was bad enough that Biden refused to enforce the sanctions on Iran. This allowed Iran to sell oil (mostly to China) and make billions of dollars. He even gave them six billion dollars. Guess where Iran spent their billions? Supplying Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. Biden basically begged Iran to reenter the nuclear deal, which Trump realized was nothing other than a path to get nukes for Iran.
So what about now? What about after Iran attacked Israel for the second time in six months, with the latest attack resulting in over 180 ballistic missiles being fired at Israel by Iran. Let's think about the current situation. Iran's proxy in Gaza - Hamas - has been significantly degraded by Israel. Iran's strongest proxy - Hezbollah in Lebanon - has also been significantly weakened. Almost all of Iran's missiles fired at Israel were shot down, by Israel's multi-layered anti-ballistic missile system and with the help of the US. The political head of Hamas, Haniyeh, has been taken out - when he was a guest in Tehran no less. The head of Hezbollah, Nasrallah, has been taken out. (Hezbollah, recall, was responsible for the deaths of 241 US Marines in Lebanon in 1983.)
So, with Hamas and Hezbollah weakened, with Iran unsuccessful with their missile attack, what does Biden counsel the Israelis? Might this be the time to take out Iran's developing nuke program? Maybe even bring about regime change in Iran? Not a chance. Not when Biden fears our enemies more than they fear him. Hence, his policy is one of appeasement. Which does not work, and has never worked. When Trump was in the White House, our enemies feared him. Which would explain why Russia and Hamas did not try anything during his four years in office.
Anyway, Biden made sure to get the leaders of the G7 on board when he was at the gathering of the UNGA. What was the consensus pushed by Biden? Israel should not attack any of Iran's nuclear sites. And probably not their oil fields either. Just as Russia got the message in early 2022 (see the top of this post), Iran has undoubtedly gotten the message now - you are free to develop nuclear weapons. Would Iran use nukes against Israel? The Ayatollahs have repeatedly said they want to destroy Israel. Would Iran possibly attack the US - who they refer to as the Great Satan? One thing is certain - it would be far more dangerous for Israel to attack Iran once it has nuclear weapons. Yet that seems to be what Biden wants. Biden's fear of a wider war makes that war all the more likely.
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