OPINION:
This week, Americans learned that the Chinese spy balloon that traversed the continental United States in January was indeed collecting intelligence from several American military sites. This, despite the Biden administration’s assurances at the time the balloon had “limited additive value” for China “over and about what [it] is likely able to collect through things like satellites in low earth orbit.”
“China was able to control the balloon so it could make multiple passes over some of the [military] sites (at times flying figure-eight formations) and transmit the information it collected back to Beijing in real time,” NBC News reported, citing two senior U.S. officials. “The intelligence China collected was mostly from electronic signals, which can be picked up from weapons systems or include communications from base personnel, rather than images.”
The balloon was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean only after completing its mission, with the Biden administration heralding the decision as a strategic play to gather information on China’s balloon program.
Bollocks. It was American weakness, indecision and capitulation played out on the world stage. China tested President Biden’s backbone and found he was spineless.
On Sunday, Saudi Arabia and other OPEC+ producers, which include Russia, thumbed their nose at the Biden administration by cutting oil production by 1.16 million barrels a day starting in May. That means higher gasoline prices for everyday Americans.
In July, Mr. Biden begged Riyadh to increase production in an effort to lower energy prices before the midterm election. In October, the alliance defied the U.S. president and decided to cut production by 2 million barrels per day through 2023.
Mr. Biden pledged at the time there would be consequences for Saudi Arabia, with his administration “reevaluating” its relationship with the kingdom and its support for Russia.
“There’s going to be some consequences for what they’ve done, with Russia,” Mr. Biden said in October after the decision. “I’m not going to get into what I’d consider what I have in mind. But there will be — there will be consequences.”
There were no consequences.
Instead, the Biden administration relied on draining the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to artificially lower prices before the election. It vowed to replenish those reserves once oil prices declined — a task that will be difficult with OPEC+ deciding on further cuts and Mr. Biden’s relentless pursuit of green energy, which has neutered domestic drilling.
Saudi Arabia knows all this and simply doesn’t care. Under Mr. Biden’s leadership, the U.S. has become a secondary player in the Middle East. In March, China brokered a peace deal with Saudi Arabia and Iran. China and Saudi Arabia have also strengthened their energy ties, with the Kingdom agreeing to buy 10% of China’s Rongsheng Petrochemical. The U.S. — and Mr. Biden’s concerns — simply don’t matter to Riyadh.
Then there’s Russia.
In December, in order to garner some good press at home and satisfy the LGBTQ+ community, Mr. Biden agreed to exchange Viktor Bout, a notorious arms dealer, for Brittney Griner, a Black lesbian WNBA star who was being held in Russia on a drug charge.
At one point, Mr. Bout was the second-most-wanted man in the world after Osama bin Laden, being dubbed the “merchant of death.” Mr. Bout was sentenced to 25 years in prison in April 2012 after being found guilty of conspiracy to kill Americans and U.S. officials, delivering anti-aircraft missiles and aiding a terrorist organization.
Mr. Biden couldn’t even negotiate a two-for-one deal for Mr. Bout. Paul Whelan, a Marine Corps veteran, is still being held in Russia on bogus espionage charges.
After being rewarded with the freeing of Mr. Bout, is it any surprise Russia picked itself up another political prisoner in Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich? Mr. Gershkovich was arrested in Moscow last week, accused by Russia of spying.
On Tuesday, it was reported the Biden administration was preparing to declare Mr. Gershkovich as wrongfully detained, triggering new U.S. government resources to work toward his release.
Russia is no doubt excited about what terms it might extract from an upcoming deal.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.