As the clock struck noon in front of the U.S. Capitol building on January 20th, much of the country (and indeed much of the world) could feel that a momentous shift had taken place. Despite a global pandemic, rampant disinformation, and a deadly insurrection at those very same Capitol steps, America had successfully transitioned power during one of the most divisive moments in our history. As President Biden said in his inaugural speech, “We will lead not just by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.” It has only been a week, but the Biden administration has already departed from the Trump administration in very significant ways, especially in the area of foreign policy. As we’ve mentioned before, the Constitution and Congress have given the executive branch a very large degree of authority over America’s interactions with the rest of the world. This week, we’ll examine the moves that have already been made and how those impact the average American.
Biden’s first day executive actions.
Back On The World Stage
True to his promises during the campaign, President Biden immediately got to work to re-establish America’s cooperative presence with our major allies and international agreements. Among these, the United States has re-entered the Paris climate agreement, which seeks to limit America’s greenhouse gas contributions to help curb the worst effects of climate change. Much of this move is symbolic, since the agreement is nonbinding and many of America’s largest states have already been in compliance with the accords for years. But this move has the benefit of lending legitimacy to the United States when it confronts major other major polluting nations such as China. In addition, many of America’s largest corporations support American involvement in the climate accords as they are designed to promote jobs in major technology and energy industries.
The Biden administration also moved to re-establish America’s presence in the World Health Organization. Though the organization is deeply flawed, America’s re-entry will allow U.S. officials to help push for greater reforms and prevent the Chinese government from coercing the WHO into doing its bidding. In addition, the United States signaled a clear intent to take the lead in the global fight against COVID-19 by signing on to the COVAX program. This program is designed to provide over two billion doses of vaccine to the world’s poorest and least privileged countries. As we know only too well by know, the United States isn’t safe from the virus until everyone in the world is safe from it. By taking the lead in helping distribute the vaccine to the rest of the world, we not only help protect ourselves, we also build our credibility to help bring the world out of this crisis.
Domestic vaccine rates have already risen dramatically, showing that we can soon begin to support international vaccine programs as well.
Back To American Values
The Biden administration has also signaled the beginning of a foreign policy more in-line with America’s traditional values. One of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history is happening right now in the war-torn country of Yemen in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has been engaged in a devastating war with a rebel group known as the Houthis who are attempting to establish their own government. America’s military support has allowed Saudi Arabia to engage in an indiscriminate bombing campaign which has killed thousands of Yemenis and made the humanitarian disaster even worse. Now, the Biden administration has signaled that it will end this support and push heavily on Saudi Arabia to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. It’s also worth nothing here that the United States will revisit former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s declaration earlier this month of the Houthis as a terrorist organization. Though the organization has certainly engaged in some very brutal behaviors, the way this designation was phrased actually cuts off the ability of most international aid groups to function in Yemen. Biden’s foreign policy team will look to thread that needle of preventing support from reaching terrorist groups while also ensuring that critical aid reaches Yemen’s most vulnerable populations.
At home, America has dramatically cut off its support for refugee resettlement, including a ban on individuals from predominantly Muslim-majority nations. President Biden reversed this decision via executive order to once again allow for the processing of applications (though actual travel is still pending due to COVID restrictions). Most economists agree that increased immigration provides substantial benefits to the overall economy by increasing overall tax revenue, replacing declining birth rates, and working in hard-to-staff jobs that boost other sectors of the economy. But in addition to the economic benefits, increased immigration and looser travel restrictions also help lend legitimacy to the United States on the world stage when confronting nations with appalling human rights abuses.
China’s concentration camps of Muslim Uighurs.
Charting A New Foreign Policy Emphasis
But Biden’s foreign policy can be seen as more than just a return to what America used to do. There are significant shifts happening in what resources will be utilized and where they will be focused. Despite the Trump administration’s departure from the Iran Nuclear Deal, the Biden administration has not yet shown a clear intent to walk back into the agreement as though nothing had happened. Instead, incoming Secretary of State Tony Blinken said that America would first consult with regional allies including Israel and Saudi Arabia before rejoining the deal. Both nations were among the strongest opponents to the original deal, so their support and cooperation would be critical to making a long term deal stick. In addition, top officials have clearly indicated that America will continue to pivot away from the Middle East and towards Asia to attempt to respond to China’s rising economic and military aggression in the region.
Another key departure from previous administrations will be the Biden administration’s focus on international development as a key tool of American power abroad. It is often understood in foreign policy circles that the three legs of the foreign policy “stool” are defense, diplomacy, and development. Naturally, the defense side of things tends to get a much, much bigger budget. But now president Biden has nominated Samantha Power to lead the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and elevated this position to the National Security Council. This moves is designed to clearly demonstrate that America’s development projects abroad will become a major focus in how America approaches national security. After all, the United States spends only about 1% of the entire federal budget on international programs designed to help establish business ties with American companies, but reaps a substantial return on investment for these efforts. This is especially true in places like Africa, where Chinese practices of debt-trap diplomacy force countries to hand over control of key parts of their infrastructure to the Chinese government. Biden’s pick for United Nations ambassador, Linda Thomas Greenfield, has a strong background in Africa to help direct these development efforts. This century will see a dramatic rise in Africa’s population, so having a strong and positive presence in this region will be critical to America’s overall global influence.
Africa is quickly becoming a very populated and influential part of the world.
What It Means For You?
So what does this all mean for you? Overall, the Biden administration is being staffed with some of the most experienced and knowledgeable experts in American foreign policy and international relations. The overall strategy is to lead the world in combating the COVID-19 pandemic which will strengthen the global economy and bring it back to a new normal. The administration is also making significant moves to help restore legitimacy with critical allies and reaffirm our commitments to key military partners throughout Europe and Asia. In all, this cooperation is essential to helping secure the American homeland. After all, it’s much easier to solve global problems and protect American national security when we have partners who are eager and willing to work with us in achieving these goals.