Joe Biden’s Sad Curtain Fall at the United Nations

President Joseph Biden’s fourth and last speech before the United Nations General Assembly had a somber air. This was partly due to the many troubles besetting the globe, but more because of the man himself.

He frequently slurred and mumbled, making his remarks hard to follow. He seemingly lost his train of thought at points, relying on the teleprompter to reorient. His mental and physical presence could not have been reassuring to allies or intimidating to adversaries.

Much of the early part of the speech was a recitation of his career and notable turning points in world events over the past 50 years. No doubt intended to inspire the assembled nations that past dark periods were overcome, it instead had a vague braggadocious undertone with Biden linking himself to ending the war in Vietnam, winning the Cold War, forging peace between Israel and Egypt, ending apartheid in South Africa, holding Milosevic accountable for war crimes, and even bringing Osama bin Laden to “justice” – apparently forgetting he opposed that operation as Vice President.

In Biden’s version of history, like Forrest Gump, he has been instrumental in all the major events in his lifetime.

Turning to his presidency, Biden was unapologetic about the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. He noted the crises in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, terrorism, and democratic retreat. He seemed oblivious to how his foreign policy decisions and indecisions contributed to those crises:

-Suggesting that a “minor incursion” by Russia would be acceptable and then slow walking weapons to Ukraine and limiting their use.

–Enriching and appeasing Iran even as its proxies grew more aggressive before Hamas’ terror attack on October 7 and after.

-Committing diplomatic missteps in Sudan and seeing authoritarian regimes take over African countries in the Sahel and kick U.S. and allied troops out.

-Enabling terror groups like al Qaeda to return to Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal and leaving Afghan women without basic human rights under Taliban rule.

-Offering concessions and sanctions relief to Venezuela for assurances of a free and fair election only to be spurned.

-In the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, Beijing is getting more and more aggressive, undeterred by Biden’s policies.

In short, the world has become a more dangerous place on his watch. Indeed, it’s hard to think of any part of the world where the interests of the U.S. and its allies are more secure that they were when Biden entered office.

The speech ended with a call to unite to address various conflicts and highlighted U.S. humanitarian aid. Aid is vital, but it treats the consequences of war. It’s not a solution. Instead of inspiring, it came across as, frankly, out of touch.

Then there were platitudes intended to please the assembled dignitaries. They elicited applause, but at the cost of encouraging UN dissembling.

He condemned the Hamas terrorism on October 7 and then, in the next breath, condemned Israel for putting civilians in Gaza through hell. There is no moral equivalence between Israeli efforts to destroy Hamas and the terrorist group’s deliberate use of civilians as human shields. Hamas is responsible for the civilian suffering in Gaza, not Isreal, and encouraging the UN’s hostility and perverse mischaracterization of the conflict hurts our ally.

He touted the return of the U.S. to the Paris Agreement on climate change, but failed to note that, even if every nation fully complied with its Paris commitments, which is highly dubious, its ostensible goal is not achievable according to the UN’s own projections.

He bragged about his administration’s support for expansion of the Security Council, which is unlikely, noting that the Council has had trouble addressing threats to international peace and security. However, the expansion he supports would exacerbate, not alleviate, that problem.

Finally, he attempted to characterize his humiliating ousting from the Democratic ticket as a noble act of self-sacrifice and called on the assembled leaders to respect democracy and remember that “some things are more important than staying in power.”  While true, only a minority of UN member states are free democracies, and many in the audience failed to applaud this entreaty. Fewer will take it to heart.

As Biden left the podium, it seemed like he was leaving the world stage. It’s astounding that the president of the most powerful country in the world can be an afterthought. But that is the sad reality for Biden.

About the Author:

Brett D. Schaefer is the Jay Kingham Senior Research Fellow in International Regulatory Affairs at Heritage’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom.Schaefer analyzes a range of foreign policy issues, focusing primarily on the U.S. Department of State and the United Nations and other international organizations. He frequently speaks and publishes on issues related to the world body and its activities. From 2019 to 2021, Schaefer was appointed by the U.N. General Assembly to serve on the Committee on Contributions, which advises the General Assembly on the scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations among member states.