Biden’s Story Of Adventure And Misadventure – OpEd

US President Joe Biden’s old story and hostility towards Russian president, Vladimir Putin is being retold in the shape of the Ukraine war. When Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2014, Vice President Biden pressed President Barack Obama to take decisive action to make Moscow “Pay in Blood and Money” for its aggression and imploring him to increase lethal aid by pumping in FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles to Kiev. President Obama flatly rejected the idea and dispatched him to the region as an emissary, cautioning him “about not overpromising to the Ukrainian government.” In the end, it was an unglamorous holding action that suited Biden’s view of Ukraine as the front line in a larger battle to contain the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Vice President Biden failed in his Ukraine adventure 8 years back because of President Obama and now he himself being the president wanted to fulfill his dream adventure project in Ukraine of making it strong to counter Putin’s Russia.

Americans having withdrawn from Afghanistan after their longest 20 year war wanted a new battle ground to keep their war industry running. Biden found the opportunity and pushed Ukraine into war with Russia. Biden pushed the American people to withstand soaring inflation with skyrocketing energy prices. Biden prefers to spend money on “supporting” Ukraine rather than on solving domestic problems. 

Biden spent four days in Europe with allies on how to address the Russian invasion on Ukraine. He met the US troops stationed in Poland and also met the Ukrainian refugees. In his address on the crisis said “It was a historic battle between tyranny and democracy”, and assured Ukraine that “We stand with you”.US President Joe Biden words of ‘Inaction’ and frustration are leading to further escalations due to such provocations:

• Biden’s dangerous Call from the borders of the war zone Poland for Regime Change in Russia’ words used for the Russian President Vladimir Putin that shook the world: “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.” 
• Speaking to the 82nd Airborne in Poland, President Biden told them that “US troops would soon be in Ukraine”. 
• The US involvement in Ukraine is all about “Regime Change” for Russia. Given American Establishment’s long experience in toppling the governments of weaker states. Such statements come out of Biden’s heart but should have been avoided to made in public.
• Previously, Biden called Putin a “War Criminal” and “Killer.”
• Biden said Putin “is a Butcher” after visiting refugees in Warsaw, Poland.

The major foreign policy speech caused ripples at home and abroad. US Establishment tried to downplay the blunt, not called for statements at a sensitive time could further inflame the situation. This was unwise and irresponsible, reflecting that this was not the US policy. 

However, President Joe Biden told reporters after delivering remarks on his 2023 budget proposal that he has no regrets about telling an international audience over the weekend that “Russian President Vladimir Putin should not be in power. I’m not walking anything back… I was expressing the moral outrage I felt. I wasn’t articulating a policy change.”

The UN Security Council keeps on meeting without any result. The global TV network for which the war is a reality show who keep blaming Russia and praising the valour, patriotism of the Ukrainiansand their President  Zelensky for their brave stand. Biden and NATO having pushed Ukraine into war do not know how to save it and Ukraine does not know how to come out of it. Having started it, Russia does not know how to end it. Biden is not talking to Putin and Putin is not prepared to talk to Zelensky. This is the sad tragedy of the efforts to stop the war by Biden and NATO – in fact the West by supplying weapons to Ukraine are further escalating the war. 

Zelensky is now requesting to end the war, “We will not apply to join NATO, we will remain neutral” wish he had said that before, “the war that was not to be” would not have started.Zelensky should not have got into Biden’s adventurous game plan. 

Biden instead of trying to pressurise President Xi, appears to have conceded more to President Xi on Taiwan as some reports suggest. President Xi to Biden, “Those who tied the bell to the tiger must untie it,” clearly blaming US-NATO for the war. China seems to have gained from the Ukraine crisis. China had ensured that the focus of the Biden regime was shifted to Europe and Ukraine and less on containing China in South China Sea.US wishes to redeploy its strength to the Indo-Pacific appear to have been put on a back burner by the Ukraine crisis as to refocus on Europe militarily. This isn’t what Biden had wanted. His miscalculated adventure on Putin has turned out to be a misadventure.

Russia is responsible for the devastating carnage in Ukraine, but the US and NATO are also guilty of deliberately provoking Putin. US President Joe Biden’s hostility towards Russian president, Vladimir Putin is being paid heavily by the world and Ukraine in particular. President Putin’s 21 Feb 2022 speech, “Ukraine is an inalienable part of our own history, culture and spiritual space.  Ukrainians are our comrades, those dearest to us – not only colleagues, friends and people who once served together, but also relatives, people bound by blood, by family ties.” But Putin’s actions do not support his expressed feelings on ground !Ukrainians will never forgive Putin and the Russians for this holocaust of misery and horror inflicted on Ukraine. Russians for decades will not be able to win the ‘Hearts and Minds’ of their sibling Ukraine after what they have done. 

The only solution is the ongoing diplomatic path with the hope that it is not derailed by actors who want this war to be prolonged. The US and NATO along with President Zelensky should ‘offer Russia a guarantee that NATO will not enlarge further East and Ukraine will remain neutral’.Russia need to withdraw immediately after the negotiation has been signed.