‘There Wasn't Much Trust’: Joe Biden Opens Up About Relationship With Netanyahu
Former US President Joe Biden has offered a candid account of his presidency in a new memoir, revealing that he had limited trust in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In the book, Promise Me, America, Biden also defends his decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan in 2021, despite warnings from senior military officials and the rapid collapse of the Afghan government. He reflects on his dealings with other world leaders, including Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Afghanistan Withdrawal
The Wall Street Journal reported that Biden's memoir looks back on his term in office and was published after the Democrats' success in the November 3 midterm elections.
Biden said he believed withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan was the right decision and would make the same choice again in similar circumstances. He recalled that Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley had warned him about the consequences.
He said he had been assured the Afghan government could survive for at least six months after the US departure. Instead, it collapsed within days. The withdrawal followed an agreement signed by the US and the Taliban in February 2020, during Donald Trump's first presidency.
‘Flexible With The Facts’
On his relationship with Netanyahu, whom he called “Bibi”, Biden wrote that there was little trust between them. He accused the Israeli leader of prioritising his short-term political future over Israel's long-term interests.
Biden said Netanyahu could be “extremely flexible with the facts” and was willing to bend democratic institutions for interests, drawing a comparison with Trump.
He said he did not regret supporting Israel after the October 7, 2023 attacks, but added that the deaths of innocent Palestinians had caused him “deep sadness”.
Views On Putin And Zelenskyy
Biden described Russian President Vladimir Putin as having a “grumpy manner”, saying he would slouch during meetings and appear uninterested “like a teenager”.
On Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Biden said his acting background had provided “very good training” for leading a country during wartime.
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