Tom Nichols on why he's glad Biden is president now

[highplainsdem]

Link to tweet

Tom Nichols
@RadioFreeTom
Another moment where I'm glad an experienced foreign policy president is at the helm and not a sociopathic ignoramus who would be tweeting and gibbering when the right move is to keep distance from a conflict between Russian gangsters.

He was commenting on this tweet last night, with video from CNN:

Juliette Kayyem
@juliettekayyem
"Destabilization in a nuclear power is never a good thing. The most important response is nobody do anything too quickly on the US side. And President Biden is known for understanding that. He doesn't do his foreign policy by tweet and we should all be grateful for that."
@cnn

[sheshe2]

1. Exactly right, Tom.

[dalton99a]

2. No kidding

[bluesbassman]

3. Of the myriad reasons TFG was a disaster, foreign policy was near the top.

His prime motivation has, is, and always will be what’s in it for him. He never thought in terms of what’s good for the American people, much less the rest of the world.

It’s comforting to know that our current President is a true public servant and understands the meaning of that position.

[Hortensis]

6. Yes. Much happened since 2016 that would not have under a Democratic president.

[calimary]

17. Thank God for Joe Biden! I shudder to think

what a mess we’d all be mired in, if trump were “running things”.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

4. 👍🏻

[fishwax]

5. yes indeed n/t

[LetMyPeopleVote]

7. I am very glad the President Joe Biden is in charge

Link to tweet

[Ford_Prefect]

8. TFG is a Russian gangster's stooge and has been since the 1980's.

[Grins]

9. Biden's inner Bonaparte...

“When you notice that an enemy is making an error, take care not to interfere with the enemy from completing it so you can take advantage at the right time." - Napoleon Bonaparte.

[calimary]

18. Those are some wise words.

True then. Equally true now.

[Wounded Bear]

10. Indeed! nt

[Javaman]

11. In some alternative universe

Our doppelgänger poor bastards are fighting over rats to eat while the orange asshole helps pootie carpet bomb Ukraine.

[irisblue]

15. Just how much dystopian alternative universe fiction have you been reading?

[Dave says]

20. In an Everettian world

If you can think it, it exists in another universe.

(Hugh Everitt's Many Worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics - the other two are the Copenhagen interpretation championed by Bohr and Heisenberg, and the EPR Paradox, Einstein’s stab at it.)

[ThoughtCriminal]

22. A quick check of 216 quadrillion random universes

Donald Trump was only President in five of them, but was removed from office in three, one is too radioactive to check, and then there's ours.

[irisblue]

23. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[moniss]

12. Exactly

and the main concern must also be what a weakened Russia means regarding any expansionist ideas from China. Biden choosing these moments to be sure to shore up relations with India, although having to hold our nose about Modi, is great foreign policy work. I'm sure that the tour of the Middle East that Modi is now taking to shore things up there was also likely discussed by Biden during his meeting with Modi. Having more than just one voice out there to exert influence that is favorable for our interests is good statesmanship.

[DinahMoeHum]

13. Tom Nichols wrote in The Atlantic about this development. . .

(no paywall here)

https://archive.ph/6a68a

Does any of this endanger the United States or NATO?

Instability in a nuclear-armed country is always worrying. For now, although the Kremlin is likely in turmoil, there is no evidence of imminent violence or a government crack-up. Russian nuclear control is likely divided among Putin, Shoigu, and Gerasimov, and none of them has vanished or been displaced (as far as we can tell). That’s the good news.

Of more concern is the possibility that Prigozhin’s gambit all along was the leading edge of an effort by hard-right Russian nationalists to push Putin to be even more violent in Ukraine and more confrontational with the West, and perhaps even to provoke a conflict with NATO. So far, tonight’s chaos does not seem to involve the U.S., NATO, or even Ukraine, but a fight among Russian gangsters, in part over whether Russia is being brutal enough in a war of unprovoked aggression, is something to watch.

For now, with Wagner out of the picture—or perhaps even in open revolt against Russian regular forces—the Ukrainians have caught a break. But there are still a lot of bad things that can happen in Moscow in the next few days, or even hours. As the political scientist and Eurasia Group president Ian Bremmer noted tonight: “Putin’s never looked weaker than right now, in the Ukraine war, and at home, which is welcome—and extremely dangerous.”

[bronxiteforever]

14. Kick and so recommend.

Grown up foreign policy as opposed to Twitter outbursts by a buffoon.

[JHB]

16. Thanks, Mr. "Spent My Career Enabling Sociopathic Ignoramuses"

Would that it had not taken you 20+ years to recognize where the Republican Party was headed.

[calimary]

21. Indeed.

[irisblue]

24. for real for real

[Evolve Dammit]

19. Amen to that

[Cha]

25. Or any of those who are running

against Pres Biden for the 2024 nomination.

Pres Biden does have the Experience and Qualifications.

TY