The past 72 hours have been besieged by a series of horrific events. Each one is a direct consequence of the current administration’s dangerous policy of appeasement—a failing diplomatic strategy that makes concessions to an aggressive power in order to avoid potential conflict. The Biden-Harris administration has fully embraced this strategy which has emboldened our enemies, put American lives and global stability at risk, and only led to more conflict.
Over the weekend it was announced that Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American-Israeli hostage, was savagely executed by Hamas. This was not merely an act of terror; it was a direct result of a foreign policy that signals weakness, not strength. The Biden-Harris administration’s reluctance to confront such evil head-on has given groups like Hamas the confidence to act without fear of retribution.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine, Russian forces launched a brutal bombardment on Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Poltava, targeting civilians and terrorizing schoolchildren on their first day of school. The Kremlin’s actions are a chilling reminder that when a superpower like the United States fails to project strength, tyrants like Putin feel free to unleash their brutality unchecked.
In Izmir, Turkey, two American sailors were attacked in broad daylight—a clear signal that Americans abroad are no longer safe. The message from our adversaries is clear: the United States is no longer feared, and its citizens are fair game.
Further east, a China Coast Guard vessel brazenly rammed a Philippine vessel without provocation, and Iranian-backed Houthis attacked two crude oil tankers in the Red Sea. These acts of aggression are not isolated; they are a direct result of the Biden-Harris administration’s foreign policy decision-making. By consistently failing to stand up to authoritarians on the global stage, this administration has signaled that the United States is unwilling to defend its interests or those of its allies.
Credible deterrence is built on two pillars: the capability to inflict harm and the ironclad belief that this capability will be used when necessary. Fear is the foundation of deterrence, and under the Biden-Harris administration, that fear has all but evaporated. Our enemies no longer believe that the United States will act decisively when challenged. Instead, they see an administration more interested in diplomatic niceties than protecting American lives and interests. The Biden-Harris administration’s failure to act with strength has created a vacuum, one that is rapidly being filled by aggressive, hostile forces and the cost of appeasement is always paid in blood.
Restoring deterrence will not be easy, nor will it be pleasant. It will require decisive leadership and, likely, violent action to make our enemies fear us once more. The Biden-Harris administration’s weakness has emboldened our enemies, endangered our citizens, and brought the world to the brink of chaos. Unless we rapidly change course, it will only get worse.