Biden’s America – Episode 5 – American Weakness

By Arthur Piccolo

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Feb. 19, 2021: You won’t read this anywhere else.

Congratulations for reading Biden’s America – and its FREE too – lucky you!

A key part of Joe Biden’s pitch during the campaign, and now as President, is remaking America’s foreign influence after Trump trashed what little there was. So far there has been nothing but empty rhetoric and no concrete plans.

What I am here to report this episode is that the prognosis is not good when President Biden and his State Department are completely missing in action and Clueless about a unique opportunity that has been presented them.

It is a 7-letter word – MYANMAR – the southeast Asian nation.

And while I will detail it, it also exposes a far larger FAILURE not just in international relations, but in the lack of understanding of STRATEGY. This may well prove an early pivotal example of what Biden is at heart – an old-style 20th century politician, unable to bring real innovation to America’s future.

Now it is time to take a trip to Myanmar, especially since even my more educated, sophisticated, savvy, well informed readers may have no idea what I am telling you. Sorry, we cannot travel there aboard Air Force One or even Air Force Two, or even Nancy Pelosi’s big Air Force jet. This will be a virtual journey, but first class all the way. I will take care of everything for you!

In fact, we are already there. Who needs Air Force One when you can travel with me at the speed of words? Why are we in Myanmar and not in the sunny friendly warm Caribbean you prefer? Because this is serious international diplomatic business, not a pleasure trip, and we have no time to waste.

Here is the story beginning with the necessary back story.

You may have known Myanmar by its long time colonial British era name – Burma. Its population is over 53 million today, which makes it a substantial nation on the world stage. It occupies more than 261 thousand square miles, compared to the 3 million square miles of the continental United States.

Myanmar claimed its independence from Britain in 1948, but the government was replaced by a military coup in 1962 which lasted until a limited democracy was established in 2011, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.

Since then, this elected government has been gaining more and more popularity over the military, which retained ultimate control.

There is so much useful detail I cannot include here but it does not impact the story line for this episode. What is key, is that the powerful military leaders, early this month and after Joe Biden became President, disbanded the elected government, took complete control again, and arrested the government’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi. And that is the state of affairs today, while large scale protests take place day after day against the military coup.

So why is this such an important topic for Biden’s America? Now I can tell you. I had to set the stage first or the drama would have made no sense.

This is a GOLDEN opportunity for President Biden and his Administration, because it is a unique opportunity for Biden to rally worldwide support against this military coup and for the restoration of democracy in Myanmar.

Forget about Afghanistan, China or Russia, providing President Biden any big diplomatic successes anytime soon or at all. Myanmar is large enough and important enough, especially as bordering on our #1 adversary – China.

The Myanmar military thugs who seized power again are not in the position of overwhelming strength they would like to be. Yes, they have all the weapons and the army and control of all the institutions and media, but they cannot be confident of keeping control even with the world’s most dangerous dictator Xi Jinping, who controls China and who loves the military being in control in Myanmar. China has a Myanmar problem or should.

So, what is President Biden and his Department of State doing? Nothing at all that will scare either the Myanmar military or the Chinese. All Biden is doing is offering some meek, weak criticism that worries no one.

This is or should be THREE-dimensional international chess, but Joe Biden is playing nothing more than checkers here! Right now, RIGHT NOW Biden’s Secretary of State, or a special Myanmar Presidential envoy, should be travelling non-stop on a U.S. government jet to every world capitol to meet with the leaders of each to rally support for DEMOCRACY in Myanmar.

It will be an EASY sell in many countries. And among those that don’t buy in to Biden’s pitch, very few will tell Biden to go to HELL and gain the wrath of the new American President. As for CHINA, this is the best part of the strategy. While Xi LOVES military run governments like his and in Myanmar, Xi’s problem is PERCEPTION on the world stage. Xi cannot afford to be seen as blatantly proving to the world yet again, he is a very dangerous despot. And so Xi cannot fully back the Myanmar military against widespread and growing opposition led by President Biden and America. Xi loses if he does!

So here is what I am trying to tell President Biden and all my readers, Biden can absolutely topple this military coup in Myanmar with nothing more than words, and it would be an incredible international success very early in his Presidency which will re-establish American LEADERSHIP in the world.

There is only ONE problem …

President Joe Biden is too STUPID to see this MAJOR opportunity. Even more, it exposes the hopelessness of believing Joe Biden will be the transformational President America so very much needs right now.

Our only hope is that someone gets this episode to Biden to read.

HOW ABOUT YOU? Please try! We will all be in your debt.

(This series dedicated in honor of the late Liu Xiaobo & Jamal Khashoggi)

EDITOR’S NOTE: About The Writer: Arthur Piccolo is a professional writer and commentator and often writes about Latin America for New Americas.