Taki Magazine

Biden Lets Freedom Ring

by Mark Hackard on October 22, 2009

Joe Biden is truly Dick Cheney’s worthy successor- between them, there’s no substantive difference on foreign policy. In Bucharest, the Vice President exhorted regional allies to help their struggling brethren in Eurasia achieve the shining dream- the only legitimate dream a nation is permitted- of “flourishing” democracy.

“You can help guide Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine along the path to stability and prosperity,” he said, adding there was also “much work to be done in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus.”     

As Biden made clear, the US is not abandoning its plans for dominating the post-Soviet space. Rather, there will be a shift in emphasis, as Washington expects its East European allies to do more heavy lifting in the realm of covert action and political operations on Russia’s periphery.

Romania’s likely support of post-election demonstrations in Moldova earlier this year provides an example of what the White House has in mind. Moldova’s corrupt Communist government in Kishinev was besieged by protestors demanding union with Romania. The unrest was well-coordinated through Twitter (an episode that would later be repeated in Iran, with overt backing from State). It is already well known that Western “civil society” NGOs train their local assets in the exploitation of information technologies with regime change as the end goal.

With the context of Romanian activity in Moldova, Biden’s speech highlighted the administration’s expectations for the East Europeans. Countries like Romania and Poland will act as the launch pad for efforts to undermine Moscow’s zone of interests.

“You delivered on the promise of your revolution. You are now in a position to help others do the same.”

Nations such as Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria, congratulated by the Vice President for their embrace of modern Western norms, typically gravitate into the orbit of the current hegemon on the continent. The experience of the twentieth century is helpful- before these countries joined NATO, they had been part of the Warsaw Pact. Prior to the Cold War, their armies were fighting with the Axis. Washington’s immediate geopolitical agenda concerns gaining control of energy transit routes from the Caspian that would feed into Europe, and its local allies are tasked with their specific roles in the project. 

Beyond all these maneuvers for advantage in the Great Game is their ultimate source- the ideological driver of liberal internationalism. The US remains a revolutionary power devoted to remaking the world in its own image; like the content of countless other speeches, Biden’s words reflect this desire.

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