Biden: Promises Kept / Promises Broken: on Foreign Policy

Joe Biden: Recognized 1915 Turkish genocide of millions of Armenians

PROMISE KEPT: (NBC News, 4/24/21): Biden officially acknowledged the killing of more than a million Armenians by Ottoman Turks more than a century ago as genocide, a move that could complicate an already strained relationship between the U.S. and Turkey. As a candidate, Biden said he would make the designation, and a bipartisan group of members of Congress urged Biden to take action ahead of Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day,

ANALYSIS: Congress approved a resolution recognizing genocide in 2007, but Pres. Bush declined to support it, because it would harm relations with Turkey, our NATO ally. Pres. Obama promised recognition but declined to do so as President.

Joe Biden: Sanctions on Russia for interference in 2020 election

PROMISE KEPT: (CNN, 4/15/21): The Biden administration slapped sweeping sanctions on Russia over Moscow's alleged interference in the 2020 election, the massive SolarWinds hack and the ongoing occupation of Crimea, signaling it is adopting a tougher posture toward the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

ANALYSIS: President Trump denied all sanctions against Russia for interference in the 2016 presidential election; that was the focus of the first Trump impeachment. The Mueller Report detailed Russian interference, but Trump referred to it as "the Russia Hoax" and "Fake News." Biden's action signifies that the United States no longer considers Russian actions to be a hoax.

Joe Biden: No punishment for Saudis killing Jamal Khashoggi

PROMISE BROKEN: (A.P., 3/2/21): The Biden administration made clear it would forgo sanctions or any other major penalty against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Khashoggi killing, even after a U.S. intelligence report concluded the prince ordered it. Ultimately, Biden administration officials said, U.S. interests in maintaining relations with Saudi Arabia forbid making a pariah of a young prince who may go on to rule the kingdom for decades.

OnTheIssues ANALYSIS: Biden was criticized for giving Bin Salman a pass, limiting sanctions to underlings carrying out his orders--but Biden played "realpolitik."

Joe Biden: Promote LGBTQI+ rights worldwide via State Department

PROMISE KEPT: (Executive Memo on LGBTQI, 2.4/21): I am directing all agencies engaged abroad to ensure that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons. The Department of State shall lead a standing group, with appropriate interagency representation, to help ensure the Federal Government's swift and meaningful response to serious incidents that threaten the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons abroad.

OnTheIssues ANALYSIS: Biden has fulfilled this promise in general, but not for the specific promise of establishing a special office. We consider this a general fulfillment because Biden expanded on his promise from "LGBTQ" to "LGBTQI+"--adding "intersex persons"--Biden has consistently used the longer list in his public pronouncements.

Joe Biden: Regional Asian alliance with Japan, India and Australia

PROMISE PARTLY KEPT: (Financial Times, 3/7/21): President Joe Biden is poised to hold the first ever quadrilateral US summit with the leaders of Japan, India and Australia, as the four countries step up co-operation in an effort to counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific.

OnTheIssues ANALYSIS: President Trump described NATO, the European-based anti-USSR alliance--as "obsolete"; NATO is what Biden means by our most important "historic partnership" Biden also hints at restoring SEATO, the equivalent Southeast Asian alliance, which would similarly re-create an anti-China and anti-North Korea alliance.