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Biden Speaks Before The UN
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Biden Speaks Before The UN

In his final address to the United Nations, President Joe Biden aimed to paint a picture of strength and leadership, but it quickly became clear that there was little to celebrate. Biden’s performance, marked by his usual verbal slips and stumbles, reflected the broader struggles of his administration on the global stage. At a time when the world is watching America closely, the president seemed unable to project the confidence and resolve that many had hoped for.

Perhaps the most glaring omission in his speech was the lack of direct acknowledgment for the American hostages still held by Hamas following the October 7 attacks. At least seven U.S. citizens remain in captivity, some feared dead, yet Biden barely touched on this, offering only a brief comment that fell flat. He said families of hostages were "going through hell," but quickly shifted focus, adding that Gazans were also "going through hell." This type of equivocation has come to define the administration’s foreign policy—always trying to balance between competing interests, but often failing to stand firm on critical issues.

The names of the Americans believed to still be alive—Keith Siegel, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Edan Alexander, and Omer Neutra—were not mentioned by Biden. Nor did he speak the names of those feared dead, like Itay Chen, Judith Weinstein, and Gadi Haggai. Even more glaring was the silence around Hersh Goldberg-Polin, the young American-Israeli executed by Hamas just last month. His parents had spoken at the Democratic National Convention, yet their son’s fate went unmentioned in this crucial moment.

This reluctance to take a strong stand isn’t new. While Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have voiced support for Israel's right to defend itself, they stop short of endorsing a full-scale effort to eradicate Hamas and Hezbollah, two terror organizations that continue to pose an existential threat to Israel. Worse yet, as Iran-backed Hezbollah rains down rockets on northern Israel, Biden’s administration has been eerily quiet, offering little more than warnings to Israel about sparking a "wider war." Meanwhile, they continue to call for a ceasefire without holding Hamas accountable for the ongoing captivity of innocent civilians.

Beyond the Middle East, Biden’s foreign policy record doesn’t inspire confidence. From the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan to his handling of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the president has repeatedly demonstrated poor judgment. While Biden trumpeted his support for Ukraine in his U.N. speech, it was his own misstep—calling a "minor incursion" by Russia into Ukraine tolerable—that arguably emboldened Vladimir Putin to escalate the conflict. Now, more than two years later, the war drags on with no clear end in sight.

Biden’s final appearance at the U.N. didn’t address other critical issues either, such as the porous U.S.-Mexico border and the growing influence of cartels. Nor did he meaningfully tackle the rising threat from China, brushing over the country’s role in fentanyl trafficking while offering weak thanks for supposed cooperation. It was a missed opportunity to confront the mounting crises head-on.

In the end, Biden closed his speech by talking about the importance of democracy, even invoking his decision to drop out of the 2024 race as proof that some things are more important than staying in power. But everyone in the room knew the truth—he stepped aside because he couldn’t win. And now, Harris is poised to take over the mantle, offering more of the same failed policies that have defined the Biden administration.

Written by Arthur Higgens - September 25, 2024