Opinion

Reagan succeeded where Biden failed

March 17, 2022
Reagan succeeded where Biden failed

Muhammad Al-Saad



When Ronald Reagan assumed the presidency of the United States of America in 1981, the Cold War was at its peak. It had been almost two years after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, disrupting the security system in the Arabian Gulf. In the meantime, his country faced a major crisis in Iran, the former ally, after a reactionary revolution seized power, occupied his embassy and detained hundreds of American diplomats. Also, the Iran-Iraq war broke out and the Gulf oil fields came under the fire of war, and posed a threat to the global economy.

After four decades, US President Joe Biden is facing part of the challenge encountered by his predecessor Reagan, and that is with the Russians, the successors of the Soviets. However, Biden sank even before the first challenge. Here the difference between Reagan and Biden was very large and vast. Reagan, who came from the Hollywood silver screen, realized that he needed strong staff, comprising intelligent politicians to help him carry out the big task.

Reagan is known to be an ideologue, but he did not have the appropriate tools and political thought, and therefore he surrounded himself with some shrewd politicians such as the politician George Bush Sr., the vice president; George Shultz, secretary of state, Casper Weinberger, secretary of defense, and National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane, in addition to a strong team of the ruling Republican Party, who associated with their president in addressing these dangers and major political and security battles.

They proposed realistic solutions to him while supporting main allies of the US in their regional or local issues and dealing with them as active partners.

On the other hand, Biden was surrounded with an unknown deputy president whom he picked to appease Barack Obama and his excessively fanatic and leftist doctrine, in addition to a group of officials who have nothing to do with politics and have no value except that they are left-wing, gay or transgender, such as Rachel Levine, the transgender who was appointed as assistant secretary of health, and Sam Brenton, deputy assistant secretary in energy department, who is a gay activist...

Therefore, we see that Biden’s policies plunge into successive crises without proactive solutions and a quick way out, unlike the cases of previous US presidents such as Reagan and Bush. Perhaps the most ingenious issue of Biden’s administration is sinking the ships of its alliances before they set sail for the World War that they may chalk out against China and Moscow. In fact, this scenario was the worst that happened to America in decades.

Let us recall the Saudi-American ballistic missile crisis, and how the administration of former President Reagan dealt with it. Despite the dispute and Riyadh’s purchase of very advanced ballistic missiles system from America’s opponent — the Communist China, the American administration behaved sensibly with realizing the Saudi need, especially since Washington was unable to sell those missiles due to its internal issues coupled with major obstacles faced from the Israeli lobby. Indeed, during the crisis, Washington adapted to the situation that emerged out of Saudi Arabia’s expulsion of the American ambassador when he dealt with the Saudi state without any discipline.

Today, Biden turns the table on himself, neglecting a strategic ally and surrendering to the blackmail of the leftists, with a promise to renounce Saudi Arabia. This is only because a group of leftists disagree with Riyadh’s policy line. Within less than a year, he has become a pariah during the crisis with Russia, unable to dismantle his archenemy, Putin, and having sacrificed real allies or partners who would have supported him and saved him from what had befallen on him apart from tarnishing the reputation of his country.


March 17, 2022
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