Tess McEnery

Summary: The article critiques President Biden's foreign policy, highlighting failures in deterring Iranian aggression and inadequately supporting Ukraine against Russia, while acknowledging the administration's correct emphasis on democracy and human rights. However, a gap exists between rhetoric and action, especially in not consistently applying human rights standards globally and supporting actions that undermine U.S. moral authority.

Summary: The article critiques President Biden's foreign policy, highlighting failures in deterring Iranian aggression and inadequately supporting Ukraine against Russia, while acknowledging the administration's correct emphasis on democracy and human rights. However, a gap exists between rhetoric and action, especially in not consistently applying human rights standards globally and supporting actions that undermine U.S. moral authority.

Is the world on fire because of Joe Biden’s foreign policy? Perhaps. The administration has certainly not done its best, from its failure to deter Iranian aggression to insufficiently arming Ukraine in its defensive war with Russia. Yet one thing the White House has gotten right is that U.S. foreign policy should be “centered on the defense of democracy and the protection of human rights” based on the recognition that democracy is one of our greatest assets in the contest with authoritarianism.