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The new US president Joe Biden breaks with the foreign policy of his predecessor Donald Trump: the democrat relies on diplomacy, international cooperation and solid alliances. Global challenges like the crown, climate change and fighting the proliferation of nuclear weapons can only be tackled by nations, Biden said in his first foreign policy speech. “We cannot do it alone.”
Biden will not “hug”
He wants to reactivate relations with the closest allies, such as Germany and other NATO partners, after “years of neglect,” Biden said. He also found clear words for America’s rivals. Under his leadership, the government will not “bow down” to human rights violations and aggressive behavior by Russia, Biden said. Nor will he hesitate to raise the “costs” of Russia’s actions, a barely hidden threat of new sanctions. However, Biden called China the biggest competitor. The United States is willing to work with Beijing. The Chinese government will be approached from a “position of strength”.
“America is back”
“America is back. Diplomacy is back,” Biden said Thursday (local time) in a speech at the US State Department in Washington. In the four years of his tenure, former President Trump tended to act alone and thus alienated many international allies and organizations. Biden now said he wanted to “regain the habit of working together and rebuild the muscles of democratic alliances that have been atrophied by years of neglect and, I would say, abuse.”
Biden stressed that diplomacy, strong partnerships and a commitment to human rights and democracy around the world are also “very good interests” for the United States. “We don’t just invest in diplomacy because it is right to do it for the world. We do it to live in peace, security and prosperity,” Biden said.
Biden halts troop withdrawal from Germany
In his speech, Biden also announced the first concrete decisions. Among other things, he made it clear that plans started by Trump to withdraw 12,000 US troops from Germany have been “stopped” for the time being. He also announced a major change in strategy with a view to the conflict in Yemen, and a more generous reception of refugees in the United States.
Biden said he will not withdraw from Germany until a comprehensive review of the US troop presence is completed. Trump had justified such plans, among other things, with insufficient defense spending by the NATO partner. Consequently, a third of the 36,000 soldiers in Germany at that time would have to return to the United States or be relocated to other European NATO countries. This would have affected three places in particular in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Rhineland-Palatinate.
There is no support for combat operations in Yemen
In a notable departure from the previous administration’s strategy, the United States now also does not want to continue supporting combat operations in the civil war country of Yemen. In the poorest Arab country, a Saudi-led military alliance has been fighting Houthi rebels, who are supported by Iran, since 2015. The US military helped with intelligence and logistical support. Additionally, billions in arms sales to Riyadh were approved.
Biden also promised that the US will host many more refugees again in the future. The annual ceiling should be raised to 125,000 in the next financial year. Under Trump, the cap was recently lowered to the historically extremely low value of a maximum of 15,000 people in a fiscal year.
