U.S. allies, particularly in NATO and Europe, are worried about Biden’s performance in the CNN presidential debate vs Donald Trump.
The issues that have been brought up have nothing to do with Biden’s decision-making abilities. When talking about the person in charge of the most powerful military, nuclear weapons, and biggest economy in the world, there is no worry about potentially implementing dangerous policies or significant international activities.
Biden is mostly seen by US allies as a man who largely keeps his cool and has an inner circle of trusted and respected people. They are assured that logical and pragmatic decisions will be taken irrespective of the situation.
The concern is Trump will be re-elected thanks to Biden’s performance, which has been clumsy and confusing at times.
Particularly in Europe, people still believe that Trump’s presidency was just an isolated incident and that something similar couldn’t happen again. Since Trump’s inauguration in 2016 and even throughout Biden’s administration, this issue has been at the forefront of European strategic thought.
The lack of stability offered by the world’s most powerful nation is a significant problem for America’s friends.
Diplomats are worried that kicking out a contender so early in the election cycle may throw the whole thing into disarray. Other nations, like Russia and China, may be able to use it to their advantage by showing how weak the US democratic system is in contrast to their authoritarian regimes, where leaders exercise strict control.
Even though it doesn’t seem like much, diplomacy at this level is often seen as a zero-sum game. Anything that benefits the enemy is anything wrong or embarrassing for the West, particularly the strong United States.
Even the most inconspicuous signs of weakness provide our enemies a chance to spread false information and sow discord in the West and the United States.
These concerns would be significant enough to warrant a candidate’s removal.
On Thursday night, an old man was seen to be clumsy and unable to articulate himself coherently. The performance makes one wonder if this person is qualified for the job.
There is a broader definition of stability than only political consistency or stability. Allies are worried that Biden won’t be able to provide the stability the West needs in these difficult times if criticisms of his leadership and questions about his capacity to govern continue.
