What Biden’s ‘new world order’ really means

We all have that one friend who can’t stop arranging things – whether it’s matchmaking, dinner parties, or vacation itineraries programmed down to the minute. They just can’t kick back and take things in stride. The world has to revolve around them, on their time and terms.

The US has been that guy for the world for the past several decades. Everyone’s tired of it. But now it has a new invitation – to a new world order.

“I think we have an opportunity to do things, if we’re bold enough and have enough confidence in ourselves, to unite the world in ways that it never has been,” US President Joe Biden said at a fundraiser this month. Washington’s boldness and confidence has led to unilateral regime-change bombings, the arming of jihadist proxies in Afghanistan against the Soviets and in Syria against President Bashar Assad, and Azov neo-Nazis in Ukraine. None of that has made the world a better place – just more chaotic. It’s not like any of these places end up better off as a result.

“We were in a post-war period for 50 years where it worked out pretty damn well, but that sort of run out of steam. It needs a new world order in a sense,” Biden said. “Worked out pretty damn well” for whom? Surely not for Latin America, subjected to constant intervention by Washington in its own interests. Same with the Middle East for all those decades when it served primarily as America’s gas station. Or even for the European Union, much of which has gone from being a collection of independent-minded allies to mostly a monolithic vassal for US interests at the expense of its own. The same could even be said of my native Canada, whose economic interests were hindered by Biden himself when he unilaterally cancelled a critical $9 billion pipeline project (Keystone XL) upon election. That should have been the very last time that Canada banked its economic interests on American good faith. It won’t be, though.

The EU had its own critical pipeline of Russian gas (Nord Stream) blown up just a few months after Biden said, right in front of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, that he’d find a way to “end” it if the Ukraine conflict popped off. Then, after Biden’s promises to help his European partners wean themselves off Russian cooperation in exchange for backing Washington’s strategy in Ukraine, reality is setting in for EU leaders that their own blind trust is going to cost them. Not only do they now suffer from an overdependence on American fuel that’s helping to drive inflation, but they’re also stuck with Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act that even further disadvantages European industrial exports, already suffering from high energy costs, to the benefit of US manufacturers. And not even a pleading visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to the White House and Congress has managed to move the dial.

As for the UK, which likes to brag about a “special relationship” with Washington, where’s that post-Brexit US trade deal that was supposed to help offset the impact of splitting from the EU?

Yet, Biden wonders why there seems to be a loss of interest in playing ball with the US on its own terms under the old world order that it dominated. Indeed, what a huge mystery! If this is how Washington has been treating its closest allies, then is it any wonder that the rest of the world isn’t exactly enthusiastic about anything else that the US might want to arrange for everyone?

“I think we have a real opportunity to unite the world in a way it hasn’t been in a long time. And enhance the prospect of peace,” Biden said. Get real, man. Any new world order proposed by establishment fixture Biden would exist for one purpose, as it always has: to serve US economic interests. As would any unity.

Biden explained, as an example, that he was able to get both Japan and South Korea to unite despite “not talking” to one another. “I went to see them both,” Biden said. “They agreed. And guess what they’re doing?” Don’t keep us in suspense, man! Are they signing a flurry of bilateral trade deals despite their historical grievances? Having pajama parties? Nope. They both signed on this past summer to help do Washington’s bidding against China and get aboard with US-led military drills in Beijing’s backyard. “They’re both supporting the fight in Ukraine against Russian oppression” as well, Biden said. “Because they understand if they remain silent, they may be next.” By “remaining silent,” he apparently means ignoring Washington at their own peril. By “being next,” he presumably means an attack by China and not Russia – although you never know. It seems that the talking point these days being used to drum up military-industrial business for Washington is that Russia is going to invade anyone and everyone.

If it’s a choice between just sitting out all the drama and joining up with Washington’s attempts to antagonize China in its own backyard, apparently these Asian countries have decided that turning down US demands just isn’t worth it. Kind of like the obnoxious pal who you know will make your life miserable if you forego his offer to hang out in favor of a quiet night at home – so you just pick the least bad option, sucking it up and indulging him.

This new world order that Biden is peddling sounds like the kind of party whose host would constantly be clanging on his wine glass to make speeches about himself and “muh democracy” while everyone just wants to mingle, and then demand that everyone participate in annoying party games that no one else finds enjoyable or beneficial. But it looks like Biden is already concerned that this time around, a lot of invitations could remain without response – even if at the risk of having one’s house firebombed as a result of the rejection.