Russia Shows How the US Slowly Becomes Irrelevant
We had no significant issues under President Trump when it came to foreign policy. Were there any Russian uprisings? Did Russia invade any countries? Did they create any significant problems? The answer is a simple no. But they did take actions under Obama’s watch and they have done so again under Biden’s watch.
It probably didn’t help for Biden to start off his Presidency by repeatedly calling Russia an adversary. That sort of talk from ..virtually day one would certainly make no sense for a President who is looking for peace and stability.
It does make sense for someone who is itching for war to distract from a wide variety of problems that are taking place at home.
We know that that things are not looking so great in the United States as we see the pressing inflation, the high levels of debt, low savings, and rise of food banks within the nation. Of course, externally, we do not look so great either.
We made a significant blunder when exiting Afghanistan, flushing years of work down the drain and letting it revert back to Taliban leadership. Now, barely a year and a half into President Biden’s term, we see a Russian invasion of the Ukraine.
What does it mean for a weaker and deeply indebted US?
Russia Invades Ukraine
The Russian tanks are moving deeper into Ukraine. This is a bold move by Russia as when the Cold War ended, the United States promised that it would indeed protect the other states, even those as Lithuania. However, it seems as if it is a bluff, and more regard it as merely the embers of a once great nation.
Kyiv hasn’t asked to join NATO, nor has NATO extended its hand as an alliance, but Ukraine is aware that the US and NATO only help their friends. For the last 70 years almost, the United States has attempted to keep peace at borders and amongst the ministers but at the sake of demonstration of change and normalizing war.
However, the situation has changed, and it seems that war is an unfortunate norm in the world today. At the present moment, there is a war in Ethiopia, between Yemenis, and we are still in a standstill in Syria. Meanwhile, Libya is in a state of disarray with one side backed by US and others and another part of it under the reign of another leader. These are a few of the issues taking place around the world see economic issues and have protests like the Yellow Jacket Movement in France and the Trucker Protest in Canada.
Rule Breaking Does Not Help
The victors also divided Europe at Yalta, and hence, a blueprint was set for the world. After World War II, a new set of rules was set up by the US, and these same rules were compromised and bent over again and again during the proxy wars in Korea.
The consequences were mixed as the US wanted to portray the best of its democracy while the Soviets wanted to create the New Soviet man. By the time the Soviets was ready to wind down in the 1990s, the US was alone with its vast influence and reached China.
Peace Has Benefits
It also brought rewards like cheap gas, imports, and better living standard with a sense of power. At the same time, the Americans believe that the empire is declining, whether they know this explicitly or feel it indirectly as they go about their lives buying products made in China.
America seems tired and fat. It has increasing debt burdens, a trade imbalance, and more that seem to rely on the government for their needs, its stumbling in foreign policy with the Afghanistan exit was a strong signal that the US is off course.
How can we build back to a stronger USA?