Howdy,
Happy New Year! I’m in Dallas, apartment shopping after three straight house deals fell apart. When the universe tells you no, you should listen.
Yesterday, a bitter old man who had failed his party and the American people stepped up to the microphone to boast about his achievements.
I barely made it halfway through before I stopped watching in disgust.
I don’t have many issues with Biden’s domestic achievements as they are. Although they’re not my cup of tea, I thought, as a whole, he had some nice “wins.” If you want the complete list of Biden’s domestic accomplishments, please read
.However, his foreign policy achievements have left the country less secure and in a horrible position. I won’t mention Afghanistan because you know how I feel. So let’s focus on other areas of concern.
Most of Biden’s defenders point to Ukraine as his crowning achievement, specifically his enlargement of NATO. Fair enough. In this grumpy combat veteran's opinion, expanding NATO is always good. Nevertheless, it’s not like it took a lot of persuading, considering Russia invaded a neighboring country for the first time in nearly everyone’s lifetime. In essence, if you can’t sell NATO when Russia has invaded a European country, then . . .
The problem with Biden’s Ukraine record is that his rhetoric didn’t match reality. In the early months of the conflict, he had a golden opportunity to really damage Putin’s offensive and possibly roll it back. However, as usual, he equivocated, and Putin recovered. Then, he used the old Stalin playbook and released the jail cells for cannon fodder. Now, after Ukraine’s failed counteroffensive, the battle lines are somewhat static, though Putin has now thrown North Korean troops into the fray. In short, if this is his achievement, no wonder we’re in such bad shape.
On Oct 7, 2023, Hamas, a terrorist organization that President Jimmy Carter wanted to be recognized, conducted a pogrom that killed thousands of Jews, Americans, and Arabs. They gang-raped women. They took Holocaust survivors hostages. And, more importantly, they took American hostages.
In the early months of Hamas’ Genocidal War Against Jews, Biden provided full-throated support. However, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were not prepared to fight Hamas in Gaza. Instead, they had been prepping for Hezbollah for years. Thus, initial casualties were high, as the IDF learned as it fought, the sign of a proper learning organization, something the DoD couldn’t replicate if it spent even more money than it already does.
As the casualties mounted, Biden, understandably, had to take care of his domestic base as the campaign approached. Thus, he quibbled with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who nearly everyone hates (even a lot of Israelis!), over Rafah, delaying a much-needed clearing operation. Despite mounting casualties, the IDF cleared Rafah of its civilian population, an incredible logistical achievement, before painstakingly clearing the strategic city near Egypt. Biden’s burdensome restriction resulted in the deaths of many Israelis. Perhaps it was needed. I wasn’t in the room. But our allies paid the price less than a year after the largest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust.
Yet when it comes to Iran and the rest of Terrorism Inc., Biden failed spectacularly. Over the last 18 months, Iranian proxies have killed at least 3 Americans and wounded hundreds more in attacks on American forces at sea, and those in Jordan, Syria, and Iraq.
Biden’s response has been to give Iran money, a prototypical American move. See: Pakistan. While Biden did parry with these networks, he left the Iranian proxy network standing, despite its escalatory attacks.
Luckily for Biden, the IDF entered the fray and delivered a devastating blow. After suffering from a year of missile attacks, the IDF crushed Hezbollah in a stunning display of intelligence-led operations. As of 14 January 2025, Iran’s proxy network has been decimated, though they’re still standing. The IDF’s success also resulted in the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s brutal regime.
In his place, however, was Al Qaeda leader Abu Jolani, a man drenched in American blood. Despite a well-sourced dossier of killing American soldiers, an American diplomat spent a whopping one hour with an Al Qaeda leader before declaring him “pragmatic,” resulting in him being delisted. Thus, not only has the Biden administration hopped into bed with the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, and thus Al Qaeda, but also Jolani’s Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.
Futher, despite all the bluster of these groups being solid counter-terrorism partners, an American Afghan veteran, while carrying an Islamic State flag, decided to ram his vehicle into a busy street on New Year’s Day in Bourbon Street, killing over 15 Americans. This attack underscores the Islamic State’s “resurgence” during the Biden era.
Ironically, if it wasn’t for Bibi and the IDF, who have been Biden’s favorite punching bag, his Middle East legacy would be in shambles. Nevertheless, the Houthis are still harassing shipping throughout the region, resulting in a significant drop in commerce throughout the Middle East.
Biden did have some wins out East, bringing the Phillippines back into the fold, and strengthening our Pacific alliances, especially with South Korea, Japan, and Australia. Those are not minor accomplishments. They helped bring back some skittish allies into the fold, who were spooked by President Trump’s strident nationalist rhetoric.
In the end, however, Biden’s foreign policy record is abysmal. This doesn’t necessarily mean that Trump will crush it, but Biden’s argument that he’s left Trump in a strong position is laughable. Though that shouldn’t come very surprising, considering President Biden still thinks he could’ve beaten Trump.
As Biden stumbles to exit stage left, the Democratic Party would be smart to start distancing themselves from his failed presidency. They owe him nothing, and they should act accordingly.
You’ve now convinced me. I remained optimistic for a long time. I was hopeful that in the end he would at least speak of his mistakes - the cost to our allies, to our veterans, and our nation’s honor.
Unfortunately the Department of Defense, however large and however lethal, is not too big to fail.