Russia is gaming Biden – again. Putin has detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, claiming he is a spy. Biden glibly shouted “let him go” from a helicopter. That was it. What a change from Ronald Reagan in 1986, when US News reporter Nicholas Daniloff got snatched by the Soviets. Reagan was clear, firm, uncompromising, and had Daniloff home in three weeks.
The contrast is shocking, and reveals far more than differing styles – or how American reporters will be treated around the world. The Soviets respected – and most historians would say feared – Reagan. By contrast, Russia and China know Biden is empty, weak, indecisive, and fearful.
In 1986, Ronald Reagan was not only bringing the Soviet leader around to understanding America would win the Cold War, he was blunt. In 1981, he had said he would fire air traffic controllers for violating the law – and did. Decades later, the Soviets admitted that shocked them.
Reagan said he would defend freedom everywhere, Space to Central America, and he did. He said he would deliver the illegitimate Soviet Union to history’s dust heap, and he did. The only party exhibiting fear back then, shying from confrontation, was the Soviet Union.
Reagan did not hesitate, did not permit misunderstanding, did not apologize for American exceptionalism, did not shift in word or deed, attitude or reaction. He did not get complacent, indulge wishful thinking, go soft, or confuse evil with good.
Reagan left no room for misinterpretation, no doubt about America’s military and economic power, and resolve to use it. He left no doubt about our alignment of power with moral high ground. He knew the stakes, engaged the debate, hit hard and won. The Soviet Union collapsed.
Contrast Biden, who can barely stay cogent, often seems lost, and like his giggly vice president – albeit for different reasons – out of his depth and regularly incoherent. Biden not only forgets stage cues, loses his way, and projects disorientation, but he has developed a record for weakness.
China and Russia are smart, cagy, and opportunistic. They are angling – in alliance – to obtain global dominance, displacing the US dollar as the world’s currency, outrunning America’s nuclear arsenal, replacing America in the Middle East, Far East, Europe and South America.
Even worse, Biden is playing right into their hands. When they snatched a US basketball player and US Marine then demanded a prisoner swap, Biden and his stumbling diplomatic and national security team simply conceded. They got a horrific, proven, death-dealing spy.
When Biden got threatened by the Taliban – a terror group America had crushed, soon to be displaced by American-trained young people at minimal added cost – he literally ran away, leaving a hundred thousand young Afghan allies to die, condemning generations.
The Russians and Chinese see coming years as their chance to flip the board, change the global calculous, grab and keep objects of geographic desire, realign alliances, and displace America.
Is it any wonder – in this moment of peril – Russia just grabbed another innocent American? Any doubt they aim to use him as “trade bait” for return of another major Russian spy or maybe subtly to demand Biden step back from the Mideast or Ukraine, let China gain ground?
Is it any wonder Putin and Xi just met and mocked Biden, planned on how to divide the world? If so, it should not be. Where Reagan had the Soviets – and to a great extent Chinese – down for the count, marginalized in their ambitions, constantly in relative fear – the reverse holds now.
To be as blunt as Reagan once was, and clear as we must be about what is afoot, the Russians and Chinese see Biden, Harris, Blinken, Austen, and Biden’s bungling band of bashful, bitter, blustering idiots – just as they are. Biden’s brand is afraid, easily cowed, and readily manipulated.
If there were ever a time to see the world as it is – dangerous, unforgiving, and nasty – and to act as Reagan did – tough, true to his word, demanding outcomes for freedom – ours, the world’s and innocent reporters – this is that time. But do not count on it – Russia is gaming Biden, again.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC.
What an insult to President Reagan to put his picture next to former Vice President Bi!
RBC,
Whether it be Putin, Xi, The Iranian Mullahs or Little Rocket Man, Biden is obviously not up the task of dealing with any of them on the playing field. He never was and he certainly isn’t now in his currently deteriorated mental state. As for the other players on Team Biden in the administration, they are what they are and no one should expect much from any of them.
You don’t have to keep harkening all the way back to Reagan for a President that not only kept us safe, but stood for the all same values that Reagan did. Putin was contained under President Trump, as were all the other major menaces we faced. They all understood they were playing against someone who, while he didn’t want to needlessly send American troops as cannon fodder at the drop of a hat, wasn’t more than willing to use tactical force to send a very clear and concise message to our enemies abroad. No wars were started while Trump was in office, but he kept all our major foreign adversaries contained and even wiped out ISIS that the Obama / Biden administration let rise up and take root in large parts of Syria. So there is no reason to have to keep looking all the way back to Reagan for the type of strong, decisive leader you reference.
Virtually every major problem we, as a country, face today is man-made in nature since Biden was sworn in and began systematically reeking havoc with “Progressive Democrat” (Socialist) policies. Between Biden, his handlers, and the Democrat Party, they all deliberately took actions that created conditions that emboldened our foreign adversaries and either insulted our allies or proved we were no longer reliable as a partner on the world stage.
Will Putin, Xi and the other continue to press their advantage against a weak and incompetent American President like Joe Biden? Of course they will. They all understand the United States, under such leadership, is ill-equipped to response effectively to the actions of despotic leaders with no concern for what the world thinks of them. With the only major world power, the United States, essentially side-lined until at least the beginning of 2025, assuming we will have something resembling an honest election this time around, now is the time for all of these hostile world leaders to press their advantage.
Please Congress get rid of Biden.
The democrats don’t care if Russia makes them look like fools. Democrats only care about being dictators at home.
If one compares the founders of our country as a nation — Franklin, Washington, Adams, and Jefferson — to the likes of Clinton, Obama, and Biden, the ethical, mental, and patriotic contrast is shocking. Our country’s leaders have gone from being the best and the brightest into the most shallow and most self-serving cast of miscreants that one can imagine. Nations such as Russia and China are very good at noticing whether the US has strong leaders or weak leaders. Biden is definitely an empty-shirt, mental and ethical midget, who spends much more time bullying his domestic political opponents than he does working on serious international relations. Instead of coming from a position of strength and America first thinking, Biden and his cohorts repeatedly allow Xi and Putin to be in control of the world stage.
Yeah, Russia is gaming Biden as you put it, but Biden and his handlers in the Democratic party are gaming the entire US population.
Despite all the wonderful, uplifting and positive messages AMAC puts on this website, things are not getting any better. They’re getting worse. Using the current standards where they can indict Trump over what should be a misdemeanor and yet still allow Bill and Hillary Clinton a free pass for their indiscretions, when we all know they both should already be in prison, then there is no hope for the rest of us. Step out of line or speak as I am now, go straight to prison…do not pass go.
This country is in sad sad shape. Everything is upside down, we’re constantly being told what is wrong is right and what is right is wrong. The true Republicans and moderate Democrats need to come together, and do so now for the sake of our Republic, or it will forever be lost.
God save the USA.
Republicans always underestimate how evil democrats are. Russia and China aren’t “gaming” Biden. He is selling out the USA to the highest bidder and those he is indebted to. Ignorance and incompetence can only explain so much.
Robert – Another soul searching article. Reagan was a great president who was able to exemplify strength and focus which kept America very safe and not divided. Unfortunately, over the past few years our leaders have become more weakened and power hungry. They have lost their way.
In my opinion, Putin and Xi are not so focused on Biden, although he’s definitely caught their attention, but rather the fact that we are becoming so divided as a nation. They are salivating! We are self-destructing in plain sight.
Your article last week on perspective highlighted how important it is for all of us to be more empathetic towards each other’s beliefs, thoughts, and, yes, politics. Both sides of the aisle are derailing this country. They can’t agree on anything, therefore, they get nothing accomplished. This is hurting all of us and setting us up for failure and to be weakened to a level that is exactly the hope of Putin and Xi.
We must elect a new leader, who will reflect the same strength and focus that Reagan did. As a result, we will come together again as Americans who believe in the fundamental beliefs and rights of our Founding Fathers. This would not be what Putin and Xi would want. So, let’s stop bickering and pointing fingers, and get it done! God bless America!
how much russia rubles laundered through ukraine has biden been paid.
“Russia and China know Biden is empty, weak, indecisive, and fearful.”
AND ON CHINA’S PAYROLL!!!!!!!
This problem is much larger than the bit players mentioned in this article and in the responses to same. The money which is funding the move from ‘good is good’ and ‘evil is evil’ to ‘good is evil’ and ‘evil is good’ is the problem. If the money dried up the problem would go away. It really is as simple as that.
So then, who are the ‘players’ manipulating the bumbling figure heads and their useful idiots with massive amounts of money? I give you the World Economic Forum, George Soros, little Billy Gates, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, big Pharma, ‘woke’ corporations and a host of others who have way too much money in their possession. The plan behind their spending is one-world-government and one-world-economy.
The ultimate plan, though, is divine. What we are witnessing is the unfolding of prophecy. When the plans of the money people come to fruition, most likely, the Anti-Christ will make his appearance. (I say ‘most likely’ because I am not a prophet. But I do read the Bible.)
None of this scares me because I have confessed my sins and professed Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. So when I hear the trumpet sound and the shout from the clouds of heaven, I will be outta here and into glory in the blink of an eye. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the Rapture which will kick off the tribulation.
What a glorious day that will be for all of the redeemed!
I’m sorry, but the comparison is not fair. Comparing biden to Reagan is like comparing a roach to a Clydesdale. Sure, the roach has been around forever, but what good has is accomplished in all those years. Name one good thing a roach has accomplished. The Clydesdales are an accomplished and proud breed. A horse that has a well-known stature, The roach, on the other hand, sneaks around in the dark, hiding by day so that nobody knows there’re around, except by the filth and destruction they leave behind. Once infested, it’s very difficult to eliminate the roach.
I’ll bet every week I say to someone “I miss Ronald Reagan”. And, no more than now! One could go to bed at night, work each day, and KNOW that all was well and safe.
Mr. Charles, once again you nailed it! Thank you.
.., Putin was KGB. He is no slouch. Were you to put your money where your mouth is, in a battle of wits between Vladimir Putin, versus the most corrupt, inept politician in U.S. history, you’re going to tell me, in all honesty, you’d bet your life savings, on Bejing Biden?