We are yet another step up on the escalation ladder to WW3.
The author draws a parallel to the Obama administration's actions during the 2016 transition period, where relations with Russia were intentionally undermined to complicate Donald Trump’s foreign policy objectives. He writes:
Regrettably, we are witnessing a replay of what occurred the first time Donald Trump was elected, back in November 2016. The reaction of the Obama administration was to use the couple of months before handover of power to sabotage the most salient aspect of his intended foreign policy initiative, to normalize relations with Russia. I say ‘salient’ not because it was Trump’s first priority but because in Hillary Clinton’s vicious campaign to portray Trump as a Russian asset all that we heard for months was Russia, Russia, Russia. In any case, it was during the transition period that the United States illegally seized Russian consular properties with the intention to create a scandal that would poison relations with Moscow.
Biden’s decision represents a dangerous shift in U.S. policy. Just two months prior, Biden had reportedly vetoed a similar proposal brought by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, following direct warnings from Vladimir Putin that such actions would make the missile providers co-belligerents in the conflict. This earlier restraint was attributed to advice from the Pentagon, which took Russia’s threats seriously. However, the recent reversal is framed as a reaction to Donald Trump’s apparent victory in the 2024 presidential election and his likely policy of reducing aid to Ukraine while seeking a peace settlement with Moscow. This shift is viewed as a reckless move by an administration influenced by hawkish Neoconservative advisors.
Doctorow concludes with a stark critique of the Biden administration's "irresponsibility," suggesting that this escalation could amount to a declaration of war on Russia. The decision to allow Ukraine to use U.S.-provided missiles against Russian territory is interpreted as a desperate attempt to complicate Trump’s expected foreign policy moves and to entrench American involvement in the conflict. The author calls for Congress to urgently intervene to prevent what they view as a catastrophic step toward a wider war.
Read more on https://gilbertdoctorow.substack.com/p/joe-biden-one-foot-in-the-grave-and