Joe Biden has been destroying the UK-US Special Relationship – if he wants to make amends he needs to back Ben Wallace
FOR a man chosen only because he wasn’t Donald Trump, Joe Biden hardly sets a high bar for leadership.
But who could have imagined that this senescent bumbler had such a capacity — or perhaps vendetta — to harm the Special Relationship, the global partnership that is traditionally America’s most cherished?
On so many critical fronts, the US benefits from our relationship with the UK.
Biden harms his own country and the stability of the world in his ill-treatment of Britain.
Biden’s misguided policies, romanticised Irish grudges and flagrantly anti-British attitudes have degraded the seemingly unshakeable UK/US alliance in remarkably short order.
It is impossible even for us Yanks to ignore episode after episode of his contempt and disrespect for Britain.
From the substantive to the symbolic. Even declining to attend the King’s Coronation. This is not how to treat a cherished ally.
Biden will travel to London tomorrow before continuing on to a Nato summit in Lithuania.
After strained relations with Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, Downing Street is doing its best to put an upbeat spin on the visit: “The Prime Minister looks forward to welcoming the US President Biden in the UK later this month . . . This reflects the strong relationship between the UK and the US, building on a series of bilateral visits and meetings earlier this year.” Good luck!
The latest example of betrayal, the shameful withholding of support for Defence Minister Ben Wallace’s bid to become Nato Secretary General is stupefyingly low even for Biden.
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Setting aside the historical goodwill and trust that developed over the years from UK-US military cooperation, Mr Wallace is superbly qualified to take on the Nato post.
Instead, Biden has thrown his support behind Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and considered by many to be a failure in her tenure as German Defence Minister, to assume the Nato leadership role.
Biden made his first visit to the UK as President in June 2021.
Since that time he has not stopped hectoring Britain, with a disdain that should be reserved for America’s enemies rather than its closest allies.
No sooner had he been installed, than the threats began, accusing the UK of inflaming tensions with the European Union and Ireland over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
“I’m Irish,” he said, revealing what most of us already knew: He places his loyalty with the Irish Republic and the EU ahead of the US/UK alliance.
And he has taken every opportunity to double down on this partisanship ever since.
Biden’s treatment of the UK during his chaotic and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan was appalling.
Not only did he not consult our closest fighting partner, but Biden gave UK military leaders no advance notice of the mission and refused even to take then PM Boris Johnson’s urgent telephone calls about the matter.
So, too, he dismissed the UK’s call to delay pulling out from Kabul airport.
This is unforgivable — not how you treat friends and trusted fighting partners.
The bilateral relationship is by definition two-way, with America needing Britain’s cooperation on collective security, shared intelligence, trade and so much more.
YouGov reports that our bilateral investment relationship is worth more than £1trillion.
Though precedent destroys hope, there are concrete gestures Biden should make now to repair the damage.
First and foremost, he should respect Britain’s sovereign policy decisions and refrain from intruding on issues that are the UK’s alone to decide, including Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Second, instead of punishing the UK by refusing it a free-trade agreement, Biden should work to deliver such a pact, which materially benefits both nations.
So, too, both nations must collaborate to protect industries and supply chains from aggressive external actors.
These are dark, divided times for America. Every day, Biden embarrasses us on the world stage.
Many of us are as stupefied, as you must be, that the USA had no better leadership option.
We deserve far better. And, as our loyal partner and friend, Britain deserves to be treated far better.
Historically, our partnership has been characterised by trust, crucial for maintaining a balance of power and advancing shared values across the globe.
However, notwithstanding polite speeches by the Prime Minister, President, Biden’s divisive policies and betrayals have eroded the trust and cohesion necessary for effective transatlantic collaboration.
COMMON THREATS
Even in difficult times, Britain and the US must stand together against common threats, champion democratic principles and foster economic prosperity.
It is imperative to maintain our alliance.
Only by doing so can we leverage the collective strength of shared intelligence, military capabilities and diplomatic influence to address the challenges posed by an empowered China and Russia.
Elected leaders are temporary and Biden will eventually be gone.
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But even through the strife he currently inflicts, our alliance must continue to safeguard the interests of both nations while preserving the stability and security of the international order.
- Lee Cohen is senior fellow of the Bow Group and the Bruges Group and a former adviser on Great Britain to the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.