Recent behavioral developments within the Biden administration has caused concern and requires personal introspection – was I wrong in not only voting for Joe Biden but actively advocating his candidacy. To set aside any delusions by Trumsheviks, the alternative was egregiously historically awful, but an introspective and informed voter should take stock of his decision making after the smoke and hoopla of victory have cleared and the new president has had an opportunity to prove himself. And his voters.
President Joe Biden has disappointed in several ways including by spending like a drunken sailor. However, since the national debt is by many accounts simply a scare tactic for future generations (every president in recent history except Bill Clinton has driven up the national debt), the overwhelming deficiency in President Biden’s decisions have been in foreign policy. Most of them concerns me an the average American little but for m his wavering on Russia and Ukraine is baffling. Russian aggression against the United States has not diminished so there appears no manifest justification for Biden’s warming up to Russia. In fact only the very nave believe that the Colonial pipeline fiasco was a product of some independent Russian criminal gang. The godfather of the Russian mafia is Vladimir Putin. President Biden acknowledged that Putin is a killer.
Biden’s ambiguity on Ukraine’s accession to NATO membership has been more than troubling since NATO Membership Action Plan is a sine qua non for Ukraine’s security. President Biden’s complete 180 on Nord Stream 2 has been appalling. He has opposed Nord Stream 2 yet the recent sanction waiver explained by Biden apologists as a token of friendship to Angela Merkel, not Vladimir Putin, is quite simply irrational. What exactly have the United States received or hope to receive from Chancellor Merkel who is most certainly designated for retirement in September.
I believe that the main problem herein lies with Joe Biden’ s character and his lack of principles. He is a good and decent man like many presidents before him except his immediate predecessor, but one who tries to avoid any meaningful change or conflict. Thus he supports the status quo which means a tremendous Russian influence over Europe, Russian-German continued friendship, human rights of concern only as long as their defense does not involve interference in the internal affairs of super powers like Russia and China.
President Joe Biden resembles very much the late President George H.W. Bush who was the subject of much ridicule for his lack of principals and resistance to change. I am reminded of the Chicken Kyiv speech,admonishing suicidal Ukrainian separatism only three weeks prior to Ukraine’s declaration of independence. It took President Bush four months to recognize Ukraine as a country and only after his friend Mikhail Gorbachev had resigned. Clearly President Bush was taking his cues from Gorbachev. President Biden appears to be taking his from Putin and Merkel, two erstwhile allies from East Germany perhaps working together many years ago.
This is not good for Ukraine, America or the rest of the world who look to the United States for leadership. Principles unfortunately cannot be developed, especially in an almost octogenarian. They are a character trait honed over many years. However political pressure is an available and suitable option. For politicians it is an overwhelming tool. Those who voted for Joe Biden, Democrats and Republican need to send a message that this will not stand. Support for a politician is an ephemeral commodity. Today we support you, tomorrow we may oppose you. No we are not bringing back his irksome and probably criminal predecessor. There are plenty of options.
The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America has sent a message to the President voicing its disaffection. Others, including Ukrainians for Biden should send their own communication of disapproval and insistence that the President reconsider his position and rescind the waiver immediately. Nord Stream 2 may be a done deal irrespective of U.S. sanctions but President Biden should not go down in history as an appeaser.
For Ukraine an even more important issue is Ukraine’s accession to NATO membership. NATO Membership Action Plan for Ukraine must be on the June 14 agenda in Brussels. Pressure must be applied. Candidate Joe Biden criticized his predecessor for relinquishing the mantle of global leadership due to his arrogance and lack of political sophistication. President Joe Biden dare not fail to assume that mantle due to his lack of principle or for the sake of some misunderstood political expediency. He must bring the appeasers like Germany, France and Hungary along with him.
May 20, 2021 Askold S. Lozynskyj