Joe Biden’s leadership must be realistic

The following editorial appeared in the New York Daily News:

As expected, President-elect Biden is surrounding himself with internationalists committed to re-establishing America as leader of the world’s liberal democracies. That’s in welcome contrast to President Trump, who turned his back on vital alliances while cozying up to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. Hurray: America will no longer be a mercenary state; it will be guided by its interests and its ideals.

But as he paves a productive path away from Trumpist foreign policy, Biden must learn from Barack Obama’s far-toonaive and ideological approach, especially in the Mideast.

We cheer Biden’s tapping of Tony Blinken, a longtime aide and Foggy Bottom veteran who believes in vigorous and creative diplomacy, to be secretary of state. He will re-energize a demoralized State Department. Also heartening are his plans to name Jake Sullivan as national security adviser and Linda Thomas- Greenfield as UN ambassador.

But a clear-eyed assessment of America’s role in the world must acknowledge where Trump succeeded. On his watch, U.S. and allied forces dealt ISIS repeated setbacks. Trump was right to finally recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. He was bold to deal directly with Mideast Muslim countries, pressuring them to make peace with Israel.

While Biden and his team are right that Trump precipitously pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, re-entering that deeply flawed compact in the wake of Tehran’s defiance would have its own fateful consequences.

America must lead again. It should do so with no illusions.