The US had been issuing warnings for the past several weeks about the possibility of an attack by Russia, which in the end proved to be correct. Not only this, it was also said that the international system was at stake.
In the midst of all this, Biden also told that he would not send American soldiers to Ukraine to participate in this war. He said that even to save American citizens, he would not send American troops to Ukraine.
Along with this, he has also withdrawn American soldiers working as military advisers and inspectors in Ukraine.
In such a situation, the question arises, why did Biden take such a step regarding the most serious foreign policy crisis of his tenure?
National interest
The first reason for Biden's decision is that Ukraine is not a neighboring country of America. It is not a country adjacent to the US border and it does not even have a military base in Ukraine.
Along with this, Ukraine also does not have such oil reserves which are very important strategically. Also, it is not a major trading partner of America.
But before Biden, there have been many presidents who have used their economic and military power for other countries even when American interests are not threatened.
Former US President Bill Clinton made military intervention in Yugoslavia in 1995. In 2011, US President Barack Obama took a similar step during the Libyan Civil War. Both times there was talk of saving people and protecting human rights.
Does Biden abstain from military intervention?
The personal stand of US President Joe Biden also matters for this response of the Biden administration.
Biden is not counted among those interfering through military operations. However, this attitude of his has also been made gradually.
In the year 1990, he supported US military intervention in the ongoing racial violence in the Balkan region. After this, in 2003, he also supported America's Iraq campaign. But since then he became cautious about the use of America's military power.
He also opposed Barack Obama's decision to increase the number of troops in Afghanistan to military intervention in Libya.
After this, when he became president, the US army was withdrawn from Afghanistan. Despite the chaos and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan due to the withdrawal of forces, he vigorously defended his decision.
Blinken, the architect of the Biden administration's foreign policy, has also defined national security as a priority to combat climate change, global diseases and rivalry with China over military intervention.
American citizens do not want war
A recent AP-NORC survey has revealed that 72% of American citizens believe that the US should play no role or play only a minor role in the Russia-Ukraine dispute.
The focus of the participants in this survey was more on ground issues such as rising inflation. The midterm elections in America are approaching. In such a situation, it is believed that it is more important for Biden to pay attention to these issues.
In the US capital Washington, there is a demand for strict sanctions on this issue from the ruling party to the opposition. Ted Cruz, a Republican senator who is widely known to be a proponent of the use of force, also does not want Biden to start a "direct war with Putin" by sending US forces into Ukraine.
Conflict Between the Superpowers
One of the biggest reasons for America's non-military intervention in the Russia-Ukraine affair is Putin's stockpile of nuclear weapons.
Biden does not want to risk starting a "world war" between Russian and American troops in Ukraine.
In an interview with NBC this month, Biden said that "we are not dealing with any terrorist organization. We are facing one of the largest armies in the world. This is a very complex problem and the situation is deteriorating rapidly." can."
Contractual Obligation
Along with this, due to any treaty on America, there is no obligation to take these risks. Article 5 of NATO states that an attack on any NATO member state shall be considered an attack on all member states and that all must take steps to protect each other.
But Ukraine's case is different, it is not a member of NATO. In making this argument, Blinken said why America would not fight to protect the values it insists on.
It is also an irony because behind this conflict Putin's demand that Ukraine should not be included in NATO. Although. NATO refused to accept Russia's demand.
Harvard University professor and foreign policy expert Stephen Walt has said in an article that America, Europe and NATO countries are making strong statements against Russia, but in the case of military intervention, they are either denying Or is it quiet, it is difficult to understand.
Will the objectives change?
Biden is not sending troops to Ukraine, but to strengthen the NATO member countries bordering Ukraine and Russia, he is sending his troops to Europe and relocating the troops stationed there.
The Biden administration has told that this step has been taken to reassure these countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. These countries are apprehensive that Putin will put pressure on NATO as part of his broader goal that NATO forces withdraw from its eastern end.
But this week's attack on Ukraine has raised fears of a wider conflict that could either have started accidentally or could be shaped by a Russian attack.
If this happens, then it can start a big conflict because then NATO member countries will have to enter this war. And in both cases America will have to come directly into the war.
Biden had already pointed to Russia, saying "if they enter NATO countries, we will also have to join (the war)."
