President Biden came to the White House a year ago, promising to strengthen geopolitical ties and reaffirm US leadership commitments. Even though he has been president for a year, he still faces several geopolitical concerns.
War Through Weakness
Before taking office, Biden had a low-to-mid 50s domestic approval rating.
However, the president’s ratings began to dwindle after his controversial handling of the tumultuous US pullout from Afghanistan and a summer spike in COVID-19 infections.
Two well-known nationwide surveys, ABC News/Washington Post and Quinnipiac University, put Biden’s support below 40% by mid-November.
Biden’s approval rating is just north of 30%, Harris’s is 22%
80 million votes
— George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) January 21, 2022
Republicans on Capitol Hill slammed the administration for supposed foreign policy “failings” and called Biden’s anti-Russian methods “deficient.”
Over the last few months, the US has been having heated talks with the Kremlin, as Russian leader Vladimir Putin builds 100,000 troops around the Ukrainian border.
“Weakness invites violence,” House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee ranking member Michael McCaul stated Friday. “This is the greatest risk to national security I’ve ever seen.”
McCaul projected a Russian invasion of Ukraine in a month. “This administration has pushed us to the verge of war through weakness,” said Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik.
The Republican Party criticized Schake, who served as the Pentagon’s Joint Staff on NATO problems, including German-Soviet ties during the Cold War.
“I believe they’re doing a fantastic job of dissecting Russia’s danger to Ukraine,” she remarked, praising Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s activities.
In addition to the weaponry supplies, Schake disputes the administration’s preemptive action claim.
Afghanistan Pullout
The scale of a Russian invasion might decide how the US and NATO react, Biden said last week. Almost immediately after the president’s remarks, the White House clarified the US and NATO would react to “any” military takeover of Ukraine.
However, Republicans think sanctions should be imposed on the Kremlin as a warning before Putin invades.
“Have we forgotten Afghanistan?” questioned GOP Sen. Joni Ernst, following Biden’s recent address. “Putin doesn’t take this administration’s warnings or authority seriously.”
Republicans say the Biden administration must be forceful to rebuild its image after the haphazard Afghan pullout.
“I think worldwide acceptance of his actions has dwindled,” Schake told Fox News Digital. In particular, the Biden administration’s refusal to listen to allies’ misgivings about the program or its execution upset them.
The Trump administration established a deal with the Taliban that the US would disengage from Afghanistan by May 1, 2021. Experts say the Biden White House should have restructured terms completely to avert the Afghanistan government’s downfall.
Biden knew innocent people would die, and he did it anyway. He must be relieved of duty. https://t.co/G05YQZlND3
— Brian Mast (@BrianMastFL) January 22, 2022
“I believe our opponents will test the US and its allies because of the Biden government’s lack of determination in Afghanistan,” Schake warned.
Legislators say foreign adversaries like China, North Korea, and Iran will be monitoring how Biden handles one of the most significant geopolitical problems since the Cold War.
“Vulnerability or the image of weakness is a temptation to authoritarian rulers like Vladimir Putin or President Xi,” said Sen. John Cornyn during a press conference this week.
