Joe Biden presents himself as an alternative to Donald Trump. The biggest foreign policy crisis of his term in office to date puts the US president in a new light.
Where’s that Joe Biden? That Biden, who usually presents himself as a good-natured president who is close to the people, as a level-headed and prudent head of government who gives the country back some calm and stability. As a politician with experience, heart and flair.
In his worst foreign policy crisis to date – triggered by his decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan – Biden is now showing completely different sides. These include those that are difficult to reconcile with the image cultivated by him and his environment. A selection:
THE ANTI-TRUMP: Biden also won the election last November by presenting itself as an alternative to its controversial predecessor. He entered with the promise to end chaos and drama and instead rule with a steady hand and foresight.
The Washington Post described Biden’s decision to carry out his predecessor’s withdrawal plans in a commentary as a catastrophe and pointedly formulated: “Can it be that Donald Trump has not really left the presidency? And if so, why do we still have his foreign policy? ” In Afghanistan, Biden suffered a “voluntary defeat” – and Trump’s “America First” policy recorded a “spiritual victory”.
DER KÜMMERER: The online magazine “Slate” called Biden the “empathy candidate” during the election campaign. The democrat uses emotions and personal issues in his politics in a targeted manner, presents himself as a master of compassion. With a view to Afghanistan, however, he now appeared cool and distant. “The scenes we see in Afghanistan are heartbreaking,” Biden said after the Taliban came to power in Kabul. Much more sensitive things did not come out of his lips.
At the same time, he vehemently defended his controversial course – and made it clear that the United States was never interested in creating “a unified, centralized democracy” in Afghanistan, but only in preventing new terrorist attacks on their country.
THE FOREIGN POLITICIAN: At every opportunity, Biden emphasizes his experience and competence in world politics, which he has accumulated over the decades: first as a senator, then as Barack Obama’s vice-president. Nevertheless, Biden was unable to avert the disaster in Afghanistan.
He presents the situation as if there were only two options: withdraw or send thousands of US soldiers as reinforcements to escalate the war with the Taliban. In fact, there were other options between these two extremes: for example, linking the withdrawal to successes in peace negotiations.
THE RELIABLE PARTNER: “America is back” became a mantra Biden at the beginning of his tenure. America will be out of Afghanistan for the foreseeable future, at least after the evacuation mission that has become necessary has ended. Biden has repeatedly assured his allies that a new era of cooperation will dawn after the Trump years. The decision to withdraw the troops unconditionally from Afghanistan was taken alone and against the conviction of other allies – although he knew that this would end the NATO operation in Afghanistan as a whole.
THE LISTENER: “Joe Biden really listens,” said Foreign Policy magazine in the election campaign – his predecessor Trump was not known for it. In the case of the Afghanistan withdrawal, however, Biden listened neither to the experts nor to allies. The warnings of an unconditional withdrawal were clear and precise. Instead, it seems as if Biden’s opinion was fixed in advance.
During the election campaign he had already promised to end the “endless wars” in the USA – the longest was the one in Afghanistan. Biden’s predecessors also wanted to withdraw the troops from Afghanistan. But because of the dangers they had been persuaded to refrain from doing so.
SELF-CRITICAL: Biden promised to openly admit mistakes. Despite a flood of criticism, including from his own party, he sees no reason to do so in the case of Afghanistan. He merely admitted that he had not expected the speed of the Taliban’s triumphant advance, but otherwise defended his decision rigorously and almost defiantly.
Biden also said that as President, all responsibility rests with him. But he promptly shifted responsibility for the devastating situation to others: the disempowered political leadership in Afghanistan, the country’s armed forces and, last but not least, his predecessor Trump, from whom he inherited his controversial agreement with the Taliban. However, there was no compulsion for Biden to stick to Trump’s course.
THE FAMILY PEOPLE: For Biden, US combat missions also have a very personal side that should influence his professional decisions. “I am the first president in 40 years who knows what it means to have a child who serves in a war zone,” he said in April when he announced his decision to withdraw. His son Beau – who died of a brain tumor a good six years ago – served as an officer in Iraq in 2008/2009.
Biden rhetorically asked his critics how many generations of young Americans he should send to the war in Afghanistan. «How many lives – American lives – is it worth? How many endless rows of headstones in Arlington National Cemetery? “
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