(TruthandLiberty.com) – Since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, administration officials have had to correct the president numerous times. On Saturday, March 26, it happened again. Biden declared Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “autocracy” needed to end. It was an off-script moment that put the United States in the crosshairs of the Ukrainian War and got Moscow’s attention. The White House quickly responded, saying the US does not seek regime change in Russia, and the president meant Putin shouldn’t be allowed to exert power over his neighbors.
Former Obama-administration CIA Director Michael Morrell said Biden did more harm than good with the statement, and ultimately the president strengthened Putin inside Russia. According to Morrell, Biden’s declaration makes it harder for domestic opposition to take hold against the Russian leader. The former intelligence director called Biden’s statement an unforced error, adding, like Americans, Russians don’t want anyone, especially a foreign leader or power, to tell them who can lead them.
Obama’s CIA Director Mike Morrell:
"I think framing it as democracy versus autocracy drives the Chinese closer to the Russians and makes it difficult for some of our own allies who are autocrats to stand with us.”https://t.co/pM5r4Q9OgY— Lynne Burke (@BurkeLynne) March 27, 2022
Morrell also said framing the conflict in terms of democracy versus autocracy only moves the Chinese closer to Putin as the US appears more and more like an enemy. The former acting CIA director indicated the move could make it harder for some US allies that are dictatorships to stand with the United States against Russia or China if the United States constantly attacks their forms of government.
So, will Biden’s words make the conflict between Russia and Ukraine harder to resolve? Will it embolden other adversaries? Right now, we can only wait and see.
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