Biden's foreign policy quartet, focused on a singular vision of the world, is incapable of finding timely solutions to end unnecessary conflicts.
The foreign policy quartet driving America's decisions in the Russia-Ukraine war - Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Lloyd Austen, and Wally Adeyemo - is running into unexpected problems in the field.
As the war enters the ninth month, it is hard to believe that it was a year ago, in November, that Blinken spearheaded America's signing of a needless security agreement with Ukraine with an entire section devoted to countering Russian aggression. At this time, not a shot had been fired.
The brutal war for control of the mineral-rich country has killed more than 15,000 people, sparked the world’s biggest displacement crisis and left 18 million people facing acute food insecurity.
Despite world defense spending reaching a record $2.2 trillion last year, 77% of citizens of NATO countries believe they should increase or maintain defense spending – up from 70% in 2021.
Rhetoric vs. Reality
Shadow warfare between Israel and Iran increasingly threatens to spill over into open conflict. Iran avoids state-on-state hostility by pursuing asymmetrical warfare through proxy armies.
Israeli retaliation for Iran’s missile attack will focus on reestablishing deterrence and preventing similar attacks, but any response risks pushing the Middle East further toward all-out war.
