Politics

Biden slams 'dictator' Putin, warns of global battle between democracy, autocracy

By Salaam Times and AFP

US President Joe Biden gestures, applauded by Vice President Kamala Harris (L) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as he delivers his first State of the Union address in Washington, DC, on March 1. [Saul Loeb/Pool/AFP]

US President Joe Biden gestures, applauded by Vice President Kamala Harris (L) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as he delivers his first State of the Union address in Washington, DC, on March 1. [Saul Loeb/Pool/AFP]

WASHINGTON, DC -- US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (March 1) branded his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a "dictator" facing withering economic and diplomatic isolation for invading neighboring Ukraine, and warned the world is in a "battle" between democracy and autocracy.

While he delivered his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress, praising the Ukrainian "wall of strength" that has stood tall against Russian invaders, Biden levelled ferocious criticism at Putin.

"A Russian dictator, invading a foreign country, has costs around the world," Biden said.

"In the battle between democracy and autocracy, democracies are rising to the moment, and the world is clearly choosing the side of peace and security."

US first lady Jill Biden applauds her guest Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova as President Joe Biden welcomes Markarova during his State of the Union address in Washington, DC, March 1. [Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/AFP]

US first lady Jill Biden applauds her guest Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova as President Joe Biden welcomes Markarova during his State of the Union address in Washington, DC, March 1. [Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/AFP]

The international community, led by tough new steps from Washington, has launched a fierce economic battle with Russia, unleashing a wave of sanctions that threaten to bring the Russian economy to its knees.

Taking aim at Russian oligarchs and "corrupt leaders" who Biden said have stolen billions of dollars under Putin's regime, the US president delivered a stern warning that the West will "seize their yachts, their luxury apartments, their private jets".

"We're coming for your ill-begotten gains," Biden said to applause.

Biden announced a ban on all Russian aircraft from US airspace, adding the United States to Canada and a host of European nations closing airspace to Russian aircraft, including airliners, in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Putin, he said, had badly underestimated the powerful response his invasion would elicit from Western nations as sanctions inflict "pain" on Russia's economy.

"Putin's war was premeditated, totally unprovoked," he said.

"He rejected repeated efforts at diplomacy. He thought the West and NATO wouldn't respond. He thought he could divide us at home," Biden said. "He thought he could divide us in Europe as well."

"But Putin was wrong. We are ready. We are united."

Ukrainian wall

Biden paid particular praise to Ukrainians who faced off against Russians despite an overwhelming military assault.

Putin "thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead, he met with a wall of strength he never anticipated or imagined," Biden intoned. "He met the Ukrainian people."

US lawmakers gave a standing ovation to Ukraine, turning to the country's ambassador to Washington, Oksana Markarova.

"Let each of us here tonight in this chamber send an unmistakable signal to Ukraine and to the world. Please rise if you are able, and show that, yes, we the United States of America stand with the Ukrainian people."

Tears in her eyes, Markarova struggled to compose herself as lawmakers clapped and cheered with one voice.

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I am not supporting Putin or Russia, but President Biden is no better than Putin either. If Putin is a dictator and a tyrant, Biden is not better than that. By the way, I have a question to ask from the Salaam Times: Whenever you establish a topic for propaganda, you pursue it for a period of time like up to a month, and then you leave that topic and pursue another one. Personally, I used to enjoy reading your reports on the origins of the coronavirus, which you investigated and showed that the virus had spread from a virology laboratory in Wuhan. Then, a research team from the World Health Organization (WHO) went there to investigate, but that topic was not continued further than that, there was no news about the origin of the virus. And then you found the issue of the Chinese regime's oppression of the Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, and you followed it for a while and then abandoned it, it was not clear what eventually happened to those minorities ... Please do not end this series of reports and please follow it up, so that we can understand what the end of all these stories will be in the end.

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It is clear that the chaotic and catastrophic US withdrawal from Afghanistan, on one hand, has stained the US allies' belief in US unity and commitment and on the other hand, it has made foes of the United States become more courageous and reckless than before. The United States and its European allies are paying the price for their mistakes in Afghanistan. If the United States had founded a very strong government with strong infrastructure in Afghanistan, targeting the nests of terrorism across the Durand Line, forcing Pakistan to have sincere cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Today, Russia wouldn’t have dared to attack Ukraine and threaten Europe and world peace. I hope, the United States will one day maintain its former dignity, by holding Pakistan and its partners such as China and Russia, accountable.

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I was reminded of the meeting where both the US House of Representatives and the Senate paid respects to our President Ghani and stood up 22 times during his speech. Secondly, Taand news website writes, "ambassadors of 22 countries including head of the EU delegation in Islamabad, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan, have called on Pakistan to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and to support a resolution against Moscow at the UN General Assembly." In a joint statement, the ambassadors of the West and their allies in Islamabad called on Pakistan to support the UN General Assembly session to strengthen the UN Charter and the basic principles of international law." When someone has no conscience, no honor, no dignity and does everything for money, don't ask him to condemn Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, kick them in their ass, and force them to sign it. Both Pakistan and Russia are sponsors of terrorism.

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