During the two most recent Republican presidencies — Trump’s and Bush’s — liberals and their media allies peddled the idea that the policies and personalities of these leaders were alienating our allies and undermining our prestige.
But is the global test one that Biden wants to pass? Is it a test he even wants to take?
Perhaps because he’s near the end of this life, he doesn’t give any serious thought to the future status or well-being of the U.S. He’s not going to be around so why should he care?
He’s going to continue enjoying the good life and let others deal with whatever messes he leaves behind. He’s a non-President.
I suspect that Macron's main motivation was a desire to be important. French leaders have since World War II embraced denial of their country's reduced importance and influence by injecting themselves into disputes, taking whatever positions influence events regardless of their merits.
One cannot over-estimate the French longing to be a big player on the world stage. But consider....
i) As a resident of Europe myself I can tell you that the war casts a very dark shadow over the continent and the desire for its end is immense.
ii) Brexit has left a leadership vacuum in continental Europe and the EU. The only two nations that can realistically fill this vacuum are France and Germany. For a number of reasons, it won’t be Germany. Not yet anyway. By default it has to be France.
iii) If China has a price for throwing its support behind Ukraine in the war against Russia, logic says that price is annexation of Taiwan. Macron’s comments since meeting with Xi indicate that is precisely what Xi told him. Taiwan or Ukraine? For Macron it’s a no-brainer.
iv) A Chinese invasion of Taiwan is coming, and probably soon. The question is, can a war over Taiwan be turned to Europe’s advantage? It certainly can, at least in the short term, by refusing to oppose China when it finally attacks.
iv) Though I profoundly disagree with Macron, in light of the current situation in France regarding retirement age, I’m minded to give him a little credit for being willing to make hard, and not necessarily popular, decisions.
Macron is in a no-win situation. The question is: Which is the worst bad decision?
You make Macron sound like Daladier. I tried to find a cute, ironic way to express that, but I'm too disgusted with Macron at the moment to make it work.
But is the global test one that Biden wants to pass? Is it a test he even wants to take?
Perhaps because he’s near the end of this life, he doesn’t give any serious thought to the future status or well-being of the U.S. He’s not going to be around so why should he care?
He’s going to continue enjoying the good life and let others deal with whatever messes he leaves behind. He’s a non-President.
And a pathetic human.
I suspect that Macron's main motivation was a desire to be important. French leaders have since World War II embraced denial of their country's reduced importance and influence by injecting themselves into disputes, taking whatever positions influence events regardless of their merits.
One cannot over-estimate the French longing to be a big player on the world stage. But consider....
i) As a resident of Europe myself I can tell you that the war casts a very dark shadow over the continent and the desire for its end is immense.
ii) Brexit has left a leadership vacuum in continental Europe and the EU. The only two nations that can realistically fill this vacuum are France and Germany. For a number of reasons, it won’t be Germany. Not yet anyway. By default it has to be France.
iii) If China has a price for throwing its support behind Ukraine in the war against Russia, logic says that price is annexation of Taiwan. Macron’s comments since meeting with Xi indicate that is precisely what Xi told him. Taiwan or Ukraine? For Macron it’s a no-brainer.
iv) A Chinese invasion of Taiwan is coming, and probably soon. The question is, can a war over Taiwan be turned to Europe’s advantage? It certainly can, at least in the short term, by refusing to oppose China when it finally attacks.
iv) Though I profoundly disagree with Macron, in light of the current situation in France regarding retirement age, I’m minded to give him a little credit for being willing to make hard, and not necessarily popular, decisions.
Macron is in a no-win situation. The question is: Which is the worst bad decision?
You make Macron sound like Daladier. I tried to find a cute, ironic way to express that, but I'm too disgusted with Macron at the moment to make it work.