Concerns of the Obamas about elections, democracy
US has not been a good world police
By Ebrahim Behnam
Guest contributor
Recently, Michelle Obama, the spouse of the former president of the United States, expressed concerns in a conversation regarding certain potential events in 2024. One of her concerns pertains to the presidential election and democracy in the US. Earlier, The Washington Post reported that Barack Obama advised Biden to strengthen his election campaign. Iran Daily discussed these concerns with Mehdi Zakerian, a university lecturer and expert on international relations.
IRAN DAILY: Why are the former president of the United States and his spouse concerned regarding the US presidential election?
Zakerian: In contrast to Trump and his supporters who express concerns or make claims about the integrity of elections in the US, it doesn’t seem that the concerns of Barack Obama and his spouse revolve around the health of the American elections. It appears that these expressions of concern may be related to the competition between Democrats and Republicans and the surge of Republican candidates in polls. The Obamas are not alone in this regard, as many American elites and politicians have voiced concerns about the potential re-election of Donald Trump. Trump’s influence in the US is growing, and his opponents argue that his re-election could pave the way for the decline of the American democracy. As such, the Obamas emphasize the need to be vigilant and serious about the looming threat to democracy in the US.
The fact that Barack Obama has advised strengthening Biden’s election campaign could also serve as a warning about the performance of the Biden administration in the next four-year term, which most likely will be just as shaky. Democrats have not left a successful track record domestically and internationally, which could potentially harm them in the elections and their competition with Republicans.
Do these concerns and warnings relate to Biden’s performance and his administration, or do they also pertain to his physical condition and advanced age?
Biden and his administration have certainly made efforts to fulfill their promises. However, whether these efforts have satisfied the public is questionable. Perhaps the only aspect of Biden’s administration performance that can be defended is its environmental policies, particularly the return to the Paris Climate Agreement. In the realm of foreign policy, notable successes have not been achieved, and there have been failures in crucial areas. For example, Biden was unable to find a solution to the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA). The longstanding Israel-Palestine crisis, which had seen the signing of the Abraham Accords and normalization of relations between Israel and several Arab countries before Biden came to office, escalated into a destructive war in Gaza during his tenure, marking another setback for US foreign policy. Afghanistan fell to the Taliban during Biden’s term, although the groundwork for that development had been laid during the Trump era. The situations in Iraq and Syria have not progressed according to American plans. The Middle East region remains highly tense, and Taiwan has become a contentious issue. Additionally, in the context of Russia and the Ukraine conflict, Biden and his administration have not achieved success.
Even though the US claims to be the world’s policeman, it has become evident that it is a force that violates the law itself. In the Gaza conflict, not only did the US fail to take action to reduce tensions and end the war, but it also opposed cease-fire resolutions in the United Nations Security Council. Instead of being a solution, the United States has become part of the problem in the Gaza conflict. Therefore, the US has not been a positive force for the world.
In the domestic arena, especially after the 2020 presidential elections, many warned about the deepening social divides created during Trump’s era. Biden also declared enhancing domestic unity as to be on his government’s agenda. However, it now appears that Biden has not been very successful in strengthening domestic cohesion.
Yes, that is correct. Biden has not been successful in restoring domestic cohesion. This is in contrast to China and Europe, which are reducing income inequality and mending social divides. In the US, however, the division has deepened. This is a weakness for the US.
Nevertheless, one should not assume that the US is in a state of collapse. The US remains the world’s foremost power, but the new issue is that the country’s global credibility has been lost or is diminishing. China is economically weaker than the US, but it has gained global credibility in industrial and IT sectors. Russia, while being militarily weaker than the US, was able to annex Crimea and then attack Ukraine, and the US and NATO have not taken effective action against it. These incidents indicate a decline in Washington’s international credibility. Therefore, while the US is still the top global power, it is facing challenges to its international credibility.
Recently, the results of a Harvard University poll were released, showing that 51% of American youth support the establishment of a Palestinian state and the ending of Israel, which is contrary to official US policies. How do you evaluate this gap between the American people and their government?
This poll reflects the sentiments of the American people regarding Israel’s actions in Gaza. However, decisions in the US are not made based on these polls but rather on US national interests, where powerful lobbies and interest groups, including the Jewish lobby, have a significant influence on decision-making. Despite these anti-Zionist sentiments among American youth, the relationship between Israel and the US remains a strategic one that is aligned with US national interests. For example, despite this poll and the anti-Zionist tendencies among American youth, the US sells a considerable number of weapons to Israel, providing regional conflicts involving Israel as pretext.