VP Biden Clumsily Missteps Again… Antagonizes Russia over “Withering Russian Economy” Remark, Troop Transports to Afghanistan May Suffer
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on July 29, 2009
Vice President Joe Biden has antagonized Russia
During the presidential election, all we ever heard was what a valuable jewel of a resource Joe Biden would be with foreign affairs.
When? When will that avuncular wisdom from Biden’s indispensable experience show itself in diplomatic relationships? When will Biden come across as something other than a grinning, mouth-running-amuck clown?
Biden has already ruffled feathers in Serbia during an “undiplomatic diplomatic” mission. This time, with his better-left-unsaid “withering Russian economy” remark, he may be jeopardizing Russian goodwill to America and their permission to access airspace to transport US troops and military equipment into Afghanistan. While his observation isn’t off the mark, Biden fails to grasp the delicate balance between the truth and requisite restraint when it comes to publicly criticizing other nations. It’s called “diplomacy.”
From a Wall Street Journal interview, July 25, 2009:
“Russia has to make some very difficult, calculated decisions. They have a shrinking population base, they have a withering economy, they have a banking sector and structure that is not likely to be able to withstand the next 15 years, they’re in a situation where the world is changing before them and they’re clinging to something in the past that is not sustainable.”
[...]
“I can see Putin sitting in Moscow saying, ‘Jesus Christ, Iran gets the nuclear weapon, who goes first?’ Moscow, not Washington.”
Insulting remarks are detrimental to our relationship with Russia. Even if what he says is true, saying such things are not diplomatic and even MSM journalists have been stunned by Biden’s reckless, inane comments. Freshmen students in a Foreign Relationships 101 course would know better.
His domestic diplomacy in America has been no better.
From Ned Rice at Big Hollywood:
“As corny as it sounds,” he told the troops, “Damn, I’m proud to be an American!”
OK, if you were really proud to be an American, Mr. Vice President, you wouldn’t find it necessary to preface that declaration with the words, “as corny as it sounds”. If you were really proud to be an American those words wouldn’t sound corny to you…
Biden proves, time and again, that he is clueless about what he’s doing and can’t control his mouth, despite his many years of senatorial experience. Unless he’s trying to sabotage international relations. If so, he’s doing a bang-up good job of it. He says outrageous, disparaging things when he goes off script… he continues to blather to the press whatever bizarre notion pops into his head.
Foolish. Unpredictable. Dangerous.
And left-wing extremists still cling to the belief that Biden, with his ongoing, cringe-worthy gaffes and foot-in-mouth declarations, is a better ambassador for America than Sarah Palin would have been.
Take the blinders off.
From Real Clear World:
Biden’s Big Mouth Bites Russia
By Malou Innocent
Real Clear World
July 28, 2009Russia has no obligation to bend one way or the other. The country still exerts strong influence over most Central Asian states, including those directly bordering Afghanistan. In fact, Russia recently allowed—after nearly eight years of war—the United States to use its . After Mr. Biden’s comment, there appears to be a gap between the Obama administration’s objective of stabilizing Afghanistan and the means with which they hope to achieve it. Gratuitously antagonizing Russia risks prompting officials in Moscow to either retract their concession on Afghanistan, to pressure Central Asian republics to act in kind – or both.
Vice President Joe Biden recently claimed that, because Russia’s economy is “withering,” Moscow will have to bend to the West, specifically on issues relating to the former Soviet republics and the reduction of its nuclear arsenal. But what Mr. Biden seems to be forgetting is the important role that Russia can play in the war in Afghanistan – after all, the road to Kabul runs through Moscow.
Currently, nearly 75 percent of U.S. and NATO supplies for troops in Afghanistan must travel through deteriorating security conditions in neighboring Pakistan. Therefore, Washington has begun to court Central Asian republics for alternative logistical routes into land-locked Afghanistan.
One corridor under consideration would start in Latvia, travel by rail through Russia, then to Kazakhstan and onward to Uzbekistan. Another would start in Georgia, sail by ferry across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan, travel by train and by truck, then split, either continuing through to Uzbekistan and then on to Afghanistan, or through Tajikistan and on to Afghanistan. But after Kyrgyzstan’s government flirted with the idea of ending America’s use of its Manas Air Base, following Russia’s announcement of billions of dollars in new aid for the country, the message was loud and clear: Russia is an essential element in reaching Afghanistan.
Russia has over 20,000 military personnel in Tajikistan protecting the Tajik-Afghan border. Moscow also has operatives among the leaders of Afghanistan’s Tajik-dominated Northern Alliance, the ethnic Uzbek party Junbish-i-Milli-Islami, and even in the Afghan government itself, such as Afghan defense minister, Mohammad Qasim Fahim, a Soviet-trained intelligence officer, military leader of the Northern Alliance, and one of President Hamid Karzai’s two vice-presidential candidates in the August 2009 elections. Moreover, Afghan tribal chief, Ajmal Khan Zazai, argues that America’s cooling ties with Karzai have pushed him into Russia’s arms.
Shortly after 9/11, Glen Howard, an analyst who specializes in Caspian defense and security issues, said Russian efforts to bestow legitimacy and act as regional patron to Afghanistan’s ethnic minorities, principally those in the Northern Alliance, was Moscow’s attempt to preserve its position in Afghanistan following the defeat of the Taliban. “It is becoming increasingly evident,” Howard said, “that if matters continue to develop in the current direction, the real winner in Afghanistan will not only be the Northern Alliance, but also Russia.”
Earlier this month, President Obama and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, signed a deal to allow the United States to use Russian airspace to transport troops and lethal military equipment into Afghanistan. But if Washington is serious about stabilizing Afghanistan and working collaboratively—rather than unilaterally—in limiting the spread of nuclear weapons to rogue regimes, Obama cannot afford his second in command making unpredictable and disparaging remarks.
Additional:
FOX News: The Real Straight Talk Express? Biden’s Candor a Persistent Challenge for Obama
The Washington Times: Biden’s gaffes undercut Obama – Verbal miscue on Russia spurs damage control
Michelle Malkin: Another day, another Biden gaffe and A Biden connection: The Amtrak IG scandal and Bidenrrhea of the mouth and Biden: Avoid planes and subways, but not really
Hot Air: Biden to Ukrainian president: Damn, your women are hot and Oh no: Biden not lying about war-zone action again, is he? and Joltin’ Joe whiffs on his own curveball and Biden: Come see the Porkulus Paradise
Support Your Local Gunfighter: Joe Biden: Just Like Me
Fire Andrea Mitchell!: New Joe Biden gaffe: New rail tunnel being built for CARS?
DaTechguy’s Blog: Boy they are still afraid of her.
Hot Air: Joe doesn’t know Porkulus from a hole in the ground
Frugal Café Blog Zone: Gaffe-tastic Biden-ism: VP Joe Biden Tells CNN a Whopper about Bush, FOX News Says It’s a Lie and Joe Biden vs. John Hancock and Theodore Roosevelt on True American Patriotism and Crazy Joe Biden and His 334th Gaffe While Vice President… This Time, New Jersey Transit Tunnel and Biden and His Math Malarkey: “We’ve Got to Spend Money So We Don’t Go Bankrupt” (video)
FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog: Joe Biden Gaffes His Way Through Economic Stimulus Tunnel
Pirates! Man Your Women: Biden Gaffes Again…
Pourmecoffee: Biden could make up for Russia gaffe by helping out at Gates/Crowley Beer Summit
Newsweek: Biden Fires Up the Gaffe-o-Matic
Patterico’s Pontifications: Joe Biden Speaks
The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler: Bring Out the Gimp
WyBlog: Another Joe Biden gaffe: Cars will use new NJ-NY rail tunnel?
Publius’ Forum: Vice Prez Gaffe-o-matic: Biden Praises Jersey Auto Tunnel Project… Wonders Why Rail Tracks Are In The Way
The Baughers: Goofy Joe
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