WASHINGTON (AP) – A military coup in Myanmar and a massive crackdown on dissidents in Russia are the first test for the Biden administration as it seeks to restore US primacy as a global pro-democracy leader.
After taking office with a promise to restore rock-solid American support for human rights, freedom of speech and political openness, President Joe Biden faces two serious challenges in two disparate parts of the world that have either been neglected or have been the subject of inconsistent messages. during the Trump era.
After decades of investing time, energy and money in advancing democracy in both Myanmar and Russia, the US is now facing challenges that could affect the global balance of power, with unrest in Myanmar possibly strengthening the hand of China.
And while neither situation may be directly related to domestic political uncertainty in the United States, experts believe foreign governments could infer signals from the remnants of America’s perceived adrift in the closing months of President Donald Trump’s tenure.
“It’s not always about us,” said Dan Fried, a former senior US diplomat for Europe. “Each has its own dynamics, but they certainly take cues from us. What ties the two together is that during the campaign, the Biden team spoke of supporting democracy as a North Star – a guide to democracy. “
Biden’s aides have rejected suggestions that the January 6 uprising in the Capitol, sparked by Trump, will hurt American influence in the long run. But they’ve recognized it as a factor as Biden seeks to reaffirm American moral leadership after four years of Trump’s alleged trepidation.
“The United States remains a country in the world that is looked forward to for … leadership, and it will take time, but it is certainly determined to do that,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Biden Monday. .
She spoke after Biden released a statement saying he would look into re-imposing sanctions on Myanmar, also known as Burma, which had been lifted following the country’s partial return to democracy during the Obama administration.
“The United States has abolished sanctions against Burma for the past decade on the basis of progress towards democracy,” said Biden. “The reversal of that progress requires an immediate review of our sanctions laws and authorities, followed by appropriate action. The United States will stand up for democracy wherever it is attacked. “
In Myanmar, the army took control of the government after a brief experiment with limited democracy, in which former opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was detained and China had an even greater potential to access a neighboring country where the West had made great efforts to mitigate Beijing’s significant influence.
“This is a setback for Myanmar and for democratic governance in Asia,” said Danny Russel, a former assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific who is now Vice President for International Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute. It’s part of an unfortunate shift to authoritarianism and it’s quite alarming. It is a terrible example for other countries. “
“It is certainly an early crisis for the Biden administration, and it has really highlighted the contrast between its support for democracy and China’s support for authoritarianism,” he said.
Tensions in Myanmar have been mounting for some time but are largely under the radar of a Washington dealing with the coronavirus after decades of public and private pressure on Yangon to push for democratic reforms.
In Russia, despite Trump’s political machinations, the situation has been boiling for several years after attempts to bring Moscow into a democratic shake, starting with the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. The confrontation with the Russians will be more difficult.
There, President Vladimir Putin uses an iron fist to quell demonstrations in support of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, despite warnings from Washington and Europe.
“It’s a challenge for Biden, but they don’t directly challenge him,” said Fried, who now works at the Atlantic Council. He said sanctions may not be effective in the long run, but they will get attention. “They could do more,” he said. “It would be appropriate, and it would send a message to Russian society that the Americans are not stupid, that they know what is going on.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview on Monday that new sanctions against Russia are being considered, not only because of Navalny’s crackdown, but also because of a major cyber attack, electoral interference and alleged bounties offered to the Taliban for attacking US forces in Afghanistan.
“We’re investigating all of these things,” Blinken told NBC News. They are all being revised. And depending on the findings of those assessments, we will take steps to defend our interests and oppose Russia’s aggressive actions. “