NEWExperience Fox News articles in an innovative way – listen to them!
Joe Biden’s arrival in Britain was marked by his proclamation of a “rock-solid” bilateral relationship. However, the seemingly cordial exchanges with King Charles and Prime Minister Sunak during photo ops mask the disturbing truth that Biden has actually damaged the U.S.-U.K. special relationship in an unprecedented manner.
In contrast to the polite behavior displayed by members of the British public, including parliamentarians and the media, Biden faced harsh criticism during his visit. Observers were particularly displeased with his rejection of several British proposals concerning NATO and Ukraine.
The recent conflicts arising from Biden’s dismissal of the highly qualified British candidate for NATO Secretary General, Ben Wallace, as well as his refusal to fast-track Ukraine’s NATO membership, have ignited anger in the U.K. Adding to the tension, the U.K. has expressed reservations about Biden’s commitment to supplying Ukraine with high-destructive cluster bombs.
BIDEN MEETS KING CHARLES FOR FIRST TIME SINCE SKIPPING CORONATION
These disputes have generated widespread criticism in London, with former cabinet minister David Jones stating, “It would appear that Biden has chosen to align himself with a hesitant Germany rather than America’s closest ally, Britain. This is extremely regrettable and gives the impression that Mr. Biden holds a bias against the U.K., which I find hard to believe.” Personally, I am not as convinced as Mr. Jones.
King Charles III greets President Joe Biden in the Quadrangle at Windsor Castle as part of a ceremonial welcome on July 10, 2023 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
The U.S.-U.K. special relationship has long been regarded as an unbreakable alliance. Those of us who witnessed the Reagan-Thatcher era were convinced that it was invincible and everlasting. However, the ascension of Joe Biden to the Oval Office with his lack of sound diplomatic judgment was an unforeseen development.
Since assuming office in January 2021, Biden’s policies and actions have caused significant strain in our traditionally strongest alliance and raised doubts about its resilience.
UK PM SUNAK, SPAIN WARN AGAINST BIDEN’S DECISION TO SEND CLUSTER MUNITIONS TO UKRAINE AHEAD OF NATO SUMMIT
A key aspect of the special relationship is the robust trade and economic ties shared by the U.S. and the U.K. Sadly, any hopes for a mutually beneficial trade agreement have dissipated due to Biden’s antagonism and the stance adopted by his fellow Democrats. Their disdain for Brexit, coupled with a lack of understanding regarding its impact on Ireland and Northern Ireland, has marginalized the U.K. and disregarded its significance.
Biden expressed minimal support for Brexit, which marks the U.K.’s reemergence as a powerful and independent nation. During this critical phase, Biden’s primary focus was preventing any detrimental effects on Ireland.
Prior to his inauguration, Biden cautioned the U.K. against crossing a line, stating on Twitter, “We must not allow the Good Friday Agreement, which brought peace to Northern Ireland, to be harmed by Brexit. Any trade agreement between the US and the U.K. must depend on honoring the Agreement and avoiding reintroducing a strict border. Period.”
Biden has shaken the traditional foreign policy alignment the U.S. has traditionally enjoyed with Britain.
Biden’s problematic approach, concerning even if directed towards a country of lesser significance, becomes even more troubling when applied to Britain, a nation of great importance.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE OPINION NEWSLETTER
Furthermore, Biden’s unilateral decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan strained trust and undermined the essence of the special relationship, sparking unprecedented criticism from the British. Members of Parliament even held him in contempt, accusing him of “throwing us and everybody else to the fire” by pulling out U.S. troops, and labeling him “dishonorable” for criticizing Afghan forces’ lack of fighting spirit.
Under Biden’s leadership, intelligence sharing and security cooperation, vital components of the transatlantic alliance in the fight against terrorism, have encountered obstacles. The lack of coordination during the Afghanistan crisis disrupted the intricate networks of intelligence sharing and counterterrorism efforts.
Additionally, symbolically significant gestures, such as returning the Churchill bust that was restored by Trump to the Oval Office and skipping King Charles’ historic coronation, have demonstrated that, similar to his predecessor Barack Obama, Biden regards our mother country and steadfast collaborator as no more than any other member state in the global community. At best, the U.K. is relegated to the “back of the queue,” as Obama once threatened.
Biden has disrupted the longstanding tradition of foreign policy alignment that the U.S. has shared with Britain. Conflicting approaches and unilateral decisions have sown discord with our trusted partner in trade and defense.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Nevertheless, it is crucial for the U.S.-U.K. relationship to endure. The economic ties (with bilateral investments estimated to exceed £1 trillion) and the synergies in intelligence are too significant to falter. However, the stakes are high and there are numerous challenges ahead.
Preserving the U.S.-U.K. relationship is essential to leverage our combined intelligence, military capabilities, and diplomatic influence in countering the threats posed by China and Russia, and maintaining stability and security in the international order.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM LEE COHEN
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
