Whither US Foreign Policy?
NEW YORK – Joe Biden has been president of the United States for just a few weeks, but the central elements of his approach to the world are already clear: rebuilding at home, working with allies, embracing diplomacy, participating in international institutions, and advocating for democracy. All this puts him squarely in the largely successful post-World War II American foreignpolicy tradition repudiated by his predecessor, Donald Trump.
Delivering his first address on foreign policy from the State Department on February 4, Biden declared “America is back.” He emphasized that Secretary of State Tony Blinken speaks for him and went to great lengths to support both America’s diplomats and diplomacy.
Biden also declared that he would stop any withdrawal of US armed forces from Germany, as Trump had ordered, presumably to help restore NATO members’ confidence in US security guarantees and to signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he should not try to use foreign adventurism to distract attention from domestic protests.
On Saudi Arabia, Biden walked a fine line. He distanced the US from military and intelligence support for the war in Yemen, explaining how US involvement henceforth would be diplomatic and humanitarian. At the same time, he made clear that the Saudis were not on their own in facing Iran. Squaring this circle will be far from easy, especially given the added complication of US disagreements with Saudi leaders over their poor humanrights record.
Biden’s ability to succeed in the world will be limited by several factors, many inherited. America’s ability to be an effective advocate for democracy is much diminished in the aftermath of the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol, and in view of the country’s polarized politics, endemic racism, and a year of Trump’s inept handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The good news is that progress on addressing the pandemic and its economic fallout is already visible. The bad news is that the country’s political and social divisions are certain to endure. Biden is fond of saying that America will lead by the power of its example, but it may be a long time before that example is one the world again admires.
Biden further reinforced humanitarian concerns by pledging to open the country’s doors to a much larger number of refugees. What could also help would be to make a significant number of doses of COVID-19 vaccines available to the developing world. This would be not only morally right, but also in America’s self-interest, as it would slow the emergence of mutations that threaten the effectiveness of existing vaccines. It would also help countries everywhere recover, leading to broad economic improvement and, ultimately, fewer refugees.
Although Biden is correct to criticize Russia and China for violating the rule of law, he cannot force their hand. Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are prepared to pay the price of sanctions to maintain political control, and the US cannot hold the entire relationship with either country hostage to human rights. It must consider other vital interests, a reality underscored by the Biden administration’s decision to sign a five-year extension of the New START nuclear pact with Russia.
Similar realities (the need for help vis-à-vis North Korea just to mention one) will limit how much pressure the US can exert on China over its behaviour in Hong
This article was received from Project Syndicate, an international not-for-profit association of newspapers dedicated to hosting a global debate on the key issues shaping our world.
Kong or toward its Uighur minority in Xinjiang. And even where Biden can place the rule of law at the centre of US policy – say, in Myanmar – he may discover that governments can resist, especially if they have outside help. All this raises questions about the wisdom of making democracy promotion so central to US foreign policy.
China policy will prove easier to articulate than to implement. Biden voiced strong criticism of Chinese behaviour, but also noted a desire to work with Xi’s regime when it is in America’s interest to do so. China will have to decide whether it is prepared to reciprocate in the face of US criticism, sanctions, and export restrictions on sensitive technology.
The US will likewise encounter difficulty in realizing its goal of organizing the world to meet global challenges, from infectious disease and climate change to nuclear proliferation and conduct in cyberspace. There is no consensus and no international community, and the US can neither compel others to act as it wants nor succeed on its own.
A good many difficult decisions remain. The Biden administration will need to determine what to do about Iran’s nuclear ambitions (and whether to re-enter the 2015 nuclear pact that many observers see as flawed). There are also questions about what to do with the accord signed a year ago with the Taliban – not so much a peace agreement as a cover for US military withdrawal – and about a North Korean regime that continues to expand its nuclear and missile arsenals.
However Biden’s foreign policy shapes up, it is important that it be bipartisan and involve Congress when possible. US allies understandably fear that in four years, Americans could return to Trumpism, if not the man himself. The fear that Trump was not an aberration, but rather reflected what the US has become, undermines US influence. The temptation to govern by executive action is understandable, but when it comes to foreign policy, Biden should try to revive the principle that domestic politics stops at the water’s edge.
Dear Editor,
I have seen recent correspondence in the media pointing out that former Minister, Balram Singh Rai, was denied his Parliamentary Pension as a serving Minister.
I should point out that he was not alone. There are, in fact, a number of Ministers, including myself, who served continuously beyond four years, in my case eight years, on or before October 1992, some today in their seventies, in my case, my eighties, who have been denied their right to this pension.
In fact, in 2018, I wrote the then Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, pointing this out, and I am aware that other Ministers in similar positions had written former President David Granger on the matter.
It is public knowledge that a Bill was introduced into the National Assembly to redress exactly the same situation for former Prime Minister, Hamilton Green, to enable him to receive a monthly pension of just over $1M on the basis of the salary of the then current Prime Minister. As far as I am concerned, this was well deserved but I continue to ask the question, what about the rest of us who are similarly entitled?
It was my understanding that the Bill should have, but did not, provide the same measure of relief for all those Parliamentarians who are still alive, who retired on or before October 1992.
I wonder if our new government will consider redressing this matter and whether it would receive the full support of the Opposition now sitting in Parliament.
The efforts of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club to expand its Cricket Development Programme received a major boost Friday last when Panthera Solutions handed over a donation of $300,000.00 to Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster.
The funds will be used to purchase cricket gear for the club’s Under 12, 13 and Under 15 teams and also for a full page advertisement in the 22nd edition of the club’s Youth Review Magazine.
Foster stated that the one year absence from the cricket field affected the RHTY&SC Cricket Development Programme as management was unable to organise any activities due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The Under 12, 13 and Under 15 teams are the nursery of the RHTY&SC cricket structure and Foster stated that every year the club makes sure that special emphasis is placed on the members of those teams.
“The club,” he stated “has a free membership policy and provides all of the necessary equipment to members. Panthera Solution sponsorship was used to acquire all the necessary cricket and coaching gear for the Cricket Development Programme.”
The items purchased included bats, batting pads, batting gloves, wicket keeping pads and gloves among others.
Panthera Solutions Inc. is a joint company of Farfan and Mendes Ltd of Guyana and the Crosbie Group of companies based in Canada. The company has been supportive of the activities of the club and has sponsored its Christmas Charity Programme, Christmas Village, Annual Youth Review Magazine and
Youth Information Booklets since 2019.
General Manager Andrew Dinsdale stated that the company was very impressed by the outstanding work of the RHTY&SC and was delighted to support the Cricket Development Programme. Cricket Manager Rabindranauth Kissoonlall stated that the three teams have a combined membership of over 60 youths between the ages of nine to 15 years. The equipment, he stated, would be used by the coaching staff of the club to make sure that all the players fulfill their potential.
The RHTY&SC in April will be publishing a 48-page magazine to highlight its outstanding work during 2020. The magazine will be published at the F and H Printery in Georgetown.
Meanwhile, Mings Product and Services Ltd., Friday last handed over four boxes of cricket balls to the programme. The company has been supporting the club with cricket balls since 2002. Ms. B. Jordan Meredith of the Human Resources Department, handed over the cricket balls to Foster, who hailed the company for its support over the years.
He stated that Mings had played a major role in the career of players like Assad Fudadin, Delbert Hicks, Kevin Sinclair, Shemaine Campbelle, Sheneta Grimmond, Kevlon Anderson, Sylus Tyndall, Junior Williams, Keith Simpson, Clinton Pestano, Erva Giddings and Shabika Gajnabi among others. The balls, Foster stated, will be used for practice sessions and also matches. Special thanks were expressed to Mr. Stanley Ming and Colin Ming for their support over the years.
The Guyana Cricket Board’s Under19 Inter County tournament will commence today among three teams.
According to the fixtures released on Monday, the 50-overs-a-side tournament will differ from tournaments in the past as it will feature just the three county teams.
The National Under-17 side has been excluded from this year’s competition, the release stated.
This means just three matches will be played with Demerara playing Essequibo today. On Friday, Essequibo will face Berbice while on Sunday, Berbice will take on Demerara. The team with the most points will be crowned champions.
“In the event of teams finishing on equal points, the highest placed team will be given to the team with the most wins, or when teams have both equal wins and equal points, the team which was the winner of the match between them shall be deemed the winner, or if still equal, the team with the highest net run rate,” the release stated.
All the matches will be played at the La Bonne Intention Ground, East Coast Demerara.
Essequibo’s two matches will begin at 08.45 hours in order to facilitate traveling since all teams will travel to and from home on match days. Sunday’s match will bowl off from 09.15 hours.
“Under 19 players from across the three counties of Guyana, who were unable (due to the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic) to compete in the previously planned GCB/Hand-In-Hand Under 19 Inter County Tournament for 2020, will
now be afforded the opportunity of competing against each other…”
Demerara will be captained by Ogle Cricket Club’s Andrew Samaroo and will feature a wealth of experience with a number of players who have represented Guyana at junior levels listed in the ranks.
Among those are West Indies under-19 prospects, Mathew Nandu and Mavendra Dindyal while seasoned campaigners in Sachin Singh, Dwain Dick, Andre Seapersaud, Zachary Jodah and Alvin Mohabir are also included.
Berbice has benefited from a handful of practice matches and selected the best of their crop with West Indies under-19 hopefuls in Isai Thorne and Rampertab Ramnauth included. The team will be led by Gevon Shultz with Seon Glasgow serving
as his deputy.
Essequibo on the other hand will be captained by Ameer Singh and feature the likes of Jason Holder, Sheldon Charles, Lance Roberts and Aryan Persaud.
Demerara squad: Andrew Samaroo (Capt), Nicholas Rajpat, Chaitram Balgobin, Micheal Pooran, Mathew Nandu, Ushardeva Balgobin, Sachin Singh, Mavendra Dindyal, Andre Seepersaud, Dwain dick, Shamar Yearwood, Ariel Tilku, Bryon Bowen, Alvin Mohabir and Zachary Jodah. Standbys are: Rudranauth Kissoon, Marlon Boele, Jaden Campbell, Trevon Charles, Rashid Benjamin and Jeffery Blair.
Berbice squad: Isiah Thorne, Rampertab Ramnauth, Ricardo Ramdehol, Seon Glasgow (Vice Captain), Marvan
Prashad, Shamal Angel, Jonathan Rampersaud, Tyrese Sealey, Chanderpaul Govindhan, Nigel Deodat, Gourav Ramesh, Doorsammy Mahadeo, Aaron Beharry, Gevon Shultz (Captain), Leon Swammy, Neil Rudder (Manager), Winston Smith (Coach) Standbys are: Collis Noble, Jeremy Sandia, Reyad Karim, Sarwan Chaitnarine, Zeynul Ramsammy, Tomani Casear, and Abdul Ramsammy.
Essequibo squad: .Lance Roberts, Ameer Singh (captain), Azim Mohammed, Bhadesh Parsotam, Nicko Vincent, Carl Gilgeous, Jarrad Allicock, Mahesh Ramnarine, Abdol Nadir, Sheldon Charles, Wazim Mohamed, Mark Mohabeer, Jason Holder, Oren Gibson and Aryan Persaud, Nazeer Mohamed (Manager), Andy Ramnarine (Coach)