Victor Davis Hanson
American Greatness
Departing President Joe Biden offered a farewell brag this week to his State Department about how his tenure had improved America’s stature abroad. In his now accustomed weird mix of whispering and fiery shouting, Biden apparently felt he had to lie or mislead about almost every one of his “achievements.”
Yet to the extent that anything improved abroad on his watch—the weakening of Iran or the near destruction of Hamas and Hezbollah—it was due despite, not because of, Biden.
Biden, bowing to election year political pressure, did all he could to restrain and block Israeli retaliations to the October 7 massacres. Only after he was repeatedly proven wrong does he now shamelessly take credit for what Israel ironically achieved by ignoring his own threats directed at Israel.
Biden is correct only that Iran is “weaker than it’s been in decades.” But Tehran was aided, not hurt, by Biden’s nonstop efforts to lift sanctions, to allow Iran to make billions in oil revenues, to pay the theocracy billions of dollars in hostage ransom, and to beg the mullahs to reenter the ill-starred Iran deal. Everything Biden did makes it much harder for Israel to survive.
So, Iran is now weakened only because Israel ignored Biden’s nonstop ankle-biting and finger-shaking not to retaliate to Iranian aggression. Instead, the Netanyahu government systematically destroyed Iranian air defenses after killing most of Iran’s foreign terrorist operatives.
Biden referenced the end of the Assad regime in Syria, but it imploded not due to any effort by Biden. It was overwhelmed instead only after the Israeli decimation of Hezbollah and humiliation of Iran—coupled with the election victory of Donald Trump—that encouraged Assad’s enemies to attack a now isolated and weakened regime.
Biden is also taking credit for rumors that Hamas might release its hostages, who have been held in a subterranean labyrinth since October 7.
But why, with less than a week left in his tenure, did Biden believe Hamas might begin releasing the hostages when even his own Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has criticized the administration for spending 16 months pressuring Israel, which only emboldened Hamas’s stonewalling?
Much more likely, the election of Donald Trump and his threat to unleash terrible retribution on Hamas (and implicitly on Iran) had prompted the terrorists’ tardy willingness to negotiate a release.
Of the horrific scramble from Afghanistan—the greatest humiliation of the US military in a half-century that cost the lives of 13 Marines—Biden boasted: “[I am] the first president in decades who’s not leaving a war in Afghanistan to his successor.”
Think of his warped logic: Biden does not leave a war to his successor only because he fled in humiliation and lost it.
Biden also took credit for saving Ukraine from Russia. But he conveniently omitted why Russia invaded in the first place.
Had Biden not destroyed American deterrence by fleeing Kabul and leaving behind billions of dollars in abandoned U.S. military equipment, had he not claimed, prior to the Russian invasion, that his reaction to Putin’s likely aggression would hinge on whether it was “a minor incursion,” then the Russians might never have invaded at all.
Vladimir Putin grabbed Crimea and the Donbass in 2014 during the Obama-Biden administration. He later sought to swallow the entire country with an attack on Kyiv in 2022 on Biden’s watch.
However, Putin stayed within his borders only during one of the last four administrations—Donald Trump’s.
Biden crowed that he accomplished all these misadventures without the use of force—“We have not gone to war to make these things happen.”
But Biden did more than any other recent president to weaken the U.S. military. Under his tenure, the Pentagon suffered a real reduction in its budget. And it never quite recovered from the Afghanistan debacle.
Annually, the military now comes up 40,000 recruits short due to Biden’s draconian vaccination requirements, its new woke mandates, and its constant false accusations of “white rage” and “white privilege” in the ranks—libels that prompted a Pentagon internal investigation that found no such racism.
China was never more bellicose than during Biden’s presidency. It serially threatened Taiwan, used cyber warfare to bully the U.S., brazenly expropriated U.S. military technology, and without worry sent a spy balloon to traverse the U.S. with impunity.
Biden’s open border saw more than 10 million illegal entries, among them thousands of Chinese nationals. Meanwhile, Chinese investors were freed to systematically buy up thousands of acres of America’s farmland adjacent to sensitive US military bases and installations.
Add it all up, and Biden would have done better to have just kept quiet and departed his failed presidency in shame.
In the end won’t his legacy be most accurately characterize by the fact that the American was able to survive the corruption and Democrat values.
Just as an aside, I believe that the people of Crimea actually voted to become part of Russia, and that Russia’s incursion into Ukraine might have been a result of internal Ukrainian activity toward native Russians living in the Donbas, as well as the west’s insistence that Ukraine become part of NATO. I wonder how the Biden administration would have responded to the Chinese military sitting on the border in Mexico. Just a thought.
Does anyone other than the democrats believe Blinken was not front and center on pressuring Israel to back of Iran? As one of the string pullers of the puppet Biden, Anthony Blinken and Jake Sullivan were doing the bidding of those behind the scenes. That Israel ignored that pressure resulting in quite successful take downs of Hamas, Hezbollah along with an outstanding attack on Iran itself. Sure Biden was the face of that pressure but being a sock puppet, dementia Joe could only do what they told him to do; with ‘they’ being the same group of jackals that forced Biden to quit his race for 2024.
Blinken is seeing the writing on that wall and is trying to get on the correct side of history, claiming he was not the one pressuring Israel.
Thank you Victor! Since biden broke as many laws as be could and since he destroyed our Souther border and since he gave the middle finger to the United States Constitution when its decisions were not Marxist enough and since he did all he could to weaken our military with woke nonsense and since he weaponized the Department of “Justice” and the FBI and since he has completely disrespected our fallen heroes (“do I really have to stand here and watch these dead soldiers go by?”), I truly expected him to continue his traitorous, Orwellian lies during his shameful exit.
So glad to see the Resident in Chief departing the chair at the Resolute Desk to which he was appointed in 2020. The war on the United States conducted by kooks and leftists has lost its leader and hopefully their way.
“Front person,” more so than “leader,” available data suggest.
Professor Hanson, how much do you want to bet that Old Joe considers you a pesky “lying, dog-faced pony soldier”….LOL! Good riddance Joey!
And serious, clear-thinking, level-headed adults will be replacing the clowns (and worse) in D.C.
A smaller portion of the American electorate actually voted for Biden. The election results were a scam that did a tremendous amount of harm to the US. It is impossible to wipe our memories clean of the circus that ran this country the last 4 years. Thanks VDH for your succinct summary.
Biden’s failures are many but maybe the line that best sums up his presidency in an ironic backwards way is from last week, “The truth matters”. Yes, it does and it isn’t kind to Biden.
Thank you VDH for your intellect on these important issues. Like the democratic party as a whole,Biden is a one man wrecking ball. Have you ever noticed that the democratic party destroys everything they touch?Then they cry out to the American people that they will fix it. I do not want the person(s) who broke everything to even attempt to fix what they have broken. The Biden administration is a total embarrassment to this great nation. Finally,I always hear about accountability relating to government officials yet very few are held to account. Here is my 12th grade educated definition of accountability: investigated,arrested,charges filed,brought before a court,judge and jury,and if found guilty incarcerated,fined,to the fullest extent of the written law.
If my definition were applied to these people,their additude, demeanor,and (hopefully)future actions would be corrected the very moment those cold steel gates were slammed shut behind them. The heavy and extremely loud sound of slamming steel against steel would immediately correct anyone’s (mis)behavior.
Accurate assessment by VDH as always. The Biden message was highly critical of “misinformation.” Ironically, the whole speech was based on misinformation.
It is scary to think that close to 50% of our population believed that the Harris/ Walz ticket, continuing these Biden failed policies, was the best choice for our country. Until we replace one sided information with multiple points of view at many high schools and universities, we will continue to graduate folks without critical thinking skills.
An excellent article summarizing the abject failures of the Biden Administration. Thank you, VDH! I so enjoy your writings and podcasts. You have taught me so much and yes, I wish you had been my history Professor in College just like Jack Fowler wishes!
After Carter I became a naturalized US citizen hoping to add my vote and avoid a similar catastrophic period. Hands down Biden outdid him.
Children’s books sometimes hit the mark. This administration’s departure reminds me of the scene in Lion King when Scar is driven from the once lush Pride Lands, and his hyenas are put on notice. Hoping that our country is soon returned to a place of prosperity and safety….and common sense.
VDH
Nicely stated and understated. Biden was the worst president on every front for the past 50 to 100 years. Buchanon was probably worse. You have excoriated Biden appropriately. How could anyone take the greatest country in the world and drive it to its knees, except maybe Obama?
A continuing thanks to Professor Hanson for publishing the truth with insight.
It will take years to undo Biden’s “non-achievements” — his damage to the world via his foreign policy and his damage to the US Armed Forces. Biden is like most Democrats…. They don’t understand the use of military force.
Good-by and good riddance to the trash heap of history.
–JB
There were numerous moments in these last four years that it seemed unlikely the nation would survive the utterly destructive and counter rational forces at loose across its fruited plain. In fact, it still appears a bit doubtful the Golden State and/or New York will survive in their original form. It’s hard to believe that on Monday at 12:01 p.m., hope again will enliven decent citizens and the ashes of the current corrupt Administration will be a mere (bad) memory.
Please lead on Kash Patel, Pam Bondi, others, et al. It’s gonna be an exciting game to watch.
Thank you, VDH, for so well articulating and documenting the many failures and traitorous acts of Biden and his many enablers. I would love to see a hardback book of this column and of your many columns. This would help preserve and document the mistakes made by our country under the influence of Democrats and progressives for future elections and generations of voters. Your grasp of both current and ancient history and your excellent writing skills make you uniquely qualified to create this crossroads in the history of our country and of civilization itself.
It was the 15 million non-repeated spike of Democratic voters that elected Old Joe, not Americans.
I think that you meant Democratic “votes,” not “voters.”
Excellent use of the word bizarro. That’s exactly what it was, and it has been for 4 years. I’m 64, and I doubt seriously that I will live long enough to see half of the damage that has been done in the last four years repaired. And I knew when I went to bed thinking Trump had won, and I woke up to see what they had done.
Not only does JRB believe every word of it, a good many Americans do too. Last evening I was watching network news with my wife. There was Biden & Blinken & lots of talking heads and sundry experts all taking credit for the deal between Israel & Hamas. No mention of Trump. His name was not mentioned. I mentioned this (IMO) omission to my CNN viewing wife. Her response ” Biden is the president, not Trump & besides if he mentioned Trump then Trump would take credit for it.” Same event, 2 very different truths.
The primary reason for us ever having Joe Biden as President is the irrational actions of the voters in 2020.
We have the same issue in California: Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass, and the associated tragedy at least aided by, if not caused by, her appointees….
We live in Agoura Hills, and SCE benefited us by only shutting off our power on two days, though they never dropped the threat….
It will take a lot of cleaning up to rectify Biden’s “achievements”. I am simply glad to see the end of his term and his team of handlers.
Criminal Clown Puppet Bide is Clearly Insane !
Yep, just keep voting Democrat and this is what you get…….plus uncontrollable wildfires, 20 plus million illegal aliens bringing crime, drugs and economic disasters on and on. All explained so well in VDH’s prior essays and interviews.
Bidens address was memorable. There were enough crocodile tears on my tv room floor to extinguish the west coast wild fires
Seriously. Biden was certainly pumped with psycho drugs? He spoke later than his normal bedtime. Professor Hanson has rightly called Biden non compos mentos. Yet, we comment on the ravings of a mad man!!
Even if Biden pardons himself, he should be charged with treason and fight the legality of any pardon.
He is a cruel stain on the history of America and that should be his primary Presidential legacy.
May the Lord never allow this country to be so insane as to ever elect anyone remotely resembling biden
Wednesday night’s farewell address was even worse!!!
Biden is proof of the inefficient nature of the 25th Amendment to remove a mentally impaired President. Over 60 years we studied President Wilson’s incapacity and could never imagine a similar reoccurrence. How wrong we were.
For any such tool to work it would have to be wielded by those angels that do not govern use. Super majority of the supreme court? Only thing that I can think of that is even remotely possible and even that august bunch has had its share of clay feet. And that leaves open the question about who may bring the case? And what if the next in succession is… never mind. If it was easy, it would have been done.
God bless you VHD!!!
The drones spying is also left with Biden
When I think back on the last 4 years, I am truly disgusted and disappointed by what this administration has done to our country.
I hope Americans will always remember this time in history when they go to the polls in the future. Elections can have dire consequences.
Thank you VDH and Team for all you do!
‘Failure in Chief’ writ large.
The left’s chickens came home to roost in November. Let the barbecue begin of these traitors haters of the Constitution and the American Republic. A firing squad is called for. This was not politics, it was a revolution by the communist feel state. Make examples so it never happens again!
I agree Bruce! They all should become tree ornaments.
I second that Motion.
Joseph Robinette Biden, a legend in his own mind.
AMEN
Ditto