President's speech: “ I'm the guy that put NATO (back) together,..”. “I'm the guy that shut Putin down. I'm the guy that put together AUKUS. I'm the guy that got 50 nations…to help Ukraine. I'm the guy that got Japanese to expand their budget. I'm the--(guy who flies ) to South Korea. I convince them to invest billions of dollars in the United States making us back in a position we're gonna own that (chip)industry again.” President Joe Biden, with George Stephanopoulos, July 5, 2024 9:00 PM, ABC interview.
Joe’s statement of his “accomplishments”were meant to prove his competency in light of his weak debate performance, in fact it only only serves to underscore and broadcast his dangerous foreign policy failures and missteps which have resulted in an unstable, chaotic world order.
in response to George Stephanopolus’ questions President Biden did well, explaining what he considers his accomplishments over the last three and a half years. He spoke in a low whisper. He seemed weak, and frail, yet he answered the questions as posed. But to understand what he views as his "accomplishments" one must have more context.
One wonders why NATO needed Joe’s attention? How did he put Putin down? Why did he have to get 50 nations together to support Ukraine? Why was AUKUS necessary ?
He didn't put NATO "together" (it was formed in 1948-9), that was not his meaning..he implied he supported NATO and empowered it in very recent times. But why was that necessary? President Biden’s weak foreign policy in Ukraine undermined world stability. It can be rightly stated that not only did he do nothing to encourage diplomacy in the Ukraine-Russia conflict but his lack of attention and misstatements as well as his failed polices actually exacerbated that border conflict which exploded under Biden into a world conflict.
In fact, in January 20, 2020 Joe, well known as a gaff-prone speaker, actually may have given Putin the green light for invasion when he stated in response to a question on what the west would do if Russia invaded, Biden said; “It’s one thing if its a minor incursion, and then (we have to fight) about what to do and not do.” Thus suggesting a minor incursion might be OK, if Putin didn't take too much land.
Then again in early 2020 Joe discouraged Zelenskyy from entering into a peace initiative from Russia. The negotiations with Putin would have given a level of independence to the eastern Ukraine provinces (Doubass) and stipulated an end of Ukraine’s move toward NATO and EU membership. The fighting would have ended and negotiations commenced. President Biden —or his cabinet war hawks— preferred conflict rather than negotiation and diplomacy. The result has been a continuing, long, escalating, catastrophic destabilizing deadly conflict in eastern Europe with tens of thousand dead on both sides, massive destruction in Ukraine, embargo of foodstuffs and agricultural products, sanctions on enemies which resulted in shortages and world inflation, and other world-wide negative implications.
Yes! one result of that cataclysmic development was that NATO was expanded—and Joe did encourage 50 nations to join in the defense of Ukraine. A war which Joe did not cause but did nothing to prevent. Yes, Japan did increase their military budget substantially, (but this result had nothing to do with Joe's urging).
Japan has, as other world nations, been threatened by increased world instability in the eastern Pacific. During the Trump administration, North Korea ended its regular and threatening missile launches into the Sea of Japan.Under Biden these acts have increased. Japan has responded to its national threats as any nation would, by more military expenditures
But all of these “accomplishments” are the reaction to missteps of an inept administration and of Joe’s lack of attention and misplaced polices. This local conflict —a border dispute—has blow up into a major world crisis—resulting in an on-going escalating war in eastern Europe and the fear of a wider world conflict with a nuclear armed Russia.
As a result of Biden’s years as " leader" of the western alliances the world is now divided into two nuclear armed (or potentially nuclear) camps…Russia, Iran, North Korea and China—vs— the USA and its western allies. Joe and his incompetent staff and advisors have managed to unite former non/threatening political and economic adversaries into a dangerous allied military front—in just three and one-half years.
And yes one of the results of that destabilization was the AUKUS agreement. This was not a positive or optimistic sign of peace to come—but only another reminder that Joe’s policies have destabilized the world caused fear and trepidation in Australia, the UK and US (hence AUKUS). This fear, like that of Japan has resulted escalation and rearming (in this case with nuclear submarines). AUKUS may not have been necessary in a more peaceful world focused on economic competition rather than an arms race characterized by massive expenditures on deadly nuclear weaponry and delivery systems.
In regard to the South Korea chip factories…its true! Joe did get a chip factory built (or in progress) in Texas. But it was not a free deal. To entice Samsung US taxpayers had to fork over $6.4 billion dollars to the world’s top chip maker to build a facility for chip manufacture in the US.
Joe’s “accomplishments” only underscore his dangerous failures and missteps in pursuit of his misguided policies which have carried the nation and the world into a time when fear dominates and drives responses. His "accomplishments" are also his abject policy failures!
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