Both political parties accuse President Joe Biden of not doing more to help Ukraine, of not supplying the Ukrainians with fighter jets and of emphasizing “what he won't do” to help “rather than what he will do.”
The criticism is warranted. But look at it from Biden's perspective or, more precisely, look at the politics from Biden's perspective.
President Barack Obama ordered all of the American troops out of Iraq. He did so over the objection of practically his entire defense and national security team including the secretary of state, secretary of defense, the national security adviser, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq and the CIA director. Outgoing President George W. Bush expected the new president to leave a stay-behind force. But Obama called Iraq “a dumb war” and ordered the troops home.
The pullout, as Bush predicted, created a vacuum. Enter the Islamic State group. In response, Obama gradually sent back to Iraq about the same number of troops that Bush considered necessary.