Biden responded to Russia’s incursion into Eastern Ukraine that is happening right now by placing sanctions on the country that will undoubtedly affect gas prices in the US and prices on other items. Biden billed this as a necessary ‘sacrifice’ that Americans will have to make to stand up to Russia. His allies in the media and in DC are already parroting this narrative.
This may be a Churchillian moment for @POTUS. We can't stand idly by and watch Putin snatch Ukraine, crush its democracy and thumb his nose at the world.
Yet the sanctions Biden has promised undoubtedly will require sacrifice from Americans, too.— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) February 22, 2022
Americans have proven time and time again that they are willing to sacrifice to stand up to tyranny across the world, except in this case the sacrifice may not have been necessary in the first place. What’s more likely is that Biden is imposing sanctions to save face after his failed foreign policy led us to this point.
President Trump was ardently opposed to Nordstream 2, a gas pipeline that would run from Russia through to the Baltic Sea to Germany. He took strong measures to oppose it in 2019 when he signed off on sanctions against any corporation that assisted Gazprom, Russia’s state-run gas company, in completing it.
Biden also claimed to be against the construction of Nord Stream 2, with his Secretary of State Anthony Blinken saying he was determined to do “whatever was necessary” to stop it during his confirmation hearing.
Then, Biden waived Trump’s sanctions against companies assisting Gazprom in its construction after being in office for only four months. Biden could have at minimum used the sanctions as leverage to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine. Instead, he reversed Trump’s sanctions without getting anything from Russia.
According to WH talking points, Biden approved of the NordStream 2 pipeline knowing it would be a “cash cow” for Russia, would give Russia a “chokehold” over Europe, and would entrench the world’s energy dependence on Russia. Way to put America last, Joe.
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) February 23, 2022
Many rightfully question why he would do such a thing. One explanation given by President Trump is that a consulting firm co-founded by Hunter Biden was given $3.5 Million by a Russian politician’s wife. Hunter Biden has taken millions of dollars from foreign countries including China to peddle his father’s influence in the past.
