As US Election Results Are Confirmed, America Must Embrace Reality Rather Than Ideology

Published in The Sankei News
(Japan) on 16 December 2020
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by D Baker. Edited by Elizabeth Cosgriff.
The election of the Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden has been officially certified by the Electoral College electors from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia.

The final certification takes place in Congress on Jan. 6. Biden will then be inaugurated on Jan. 20.

Following the Electoral College’s vote, Biden said, “It’s time to turn the page, unite and heal.” I couldn't agree more. Hopefully this is where the mudslinging from the Donald Trump camp about election fraud ends.

The strengthening of cooperation with America's allies, Japan and Europe, to protect the international order from attempts by China and others to alter the status quo should be first on Biden’s to-do list.

“America is strongest when it works with its allies,” Biden said, stressing that “America is back, ready to lead the world.” In contrast to Trump, who led on an “America First” platform, Biden has put international cooperation at the forefront of his agenda, and his words in themselves are promising.

What is important here is not just cooperation itself, but rather how that combined energy can be used to deal with China and other countries.

Biden served as vice president for eight years as part of President Barack Obama's administration. Obama set out a grand ideology, as represented by his vision of a nuclear-free world.

While this appealed greatly to the American conscience, it did not address the very real threats posed by China's rise to prominence and North Korea's nuclear armament.

The same pitfalls await Biden. It is important to say the right things, but he must also deal with actual issues head-on.

Biden emphasizes “unity over division.” While the division in American society is serious, it is rash to say that the responsibility for this lies solely with Trump, who still obstinately refuses to accept defeat.

Even before Trump's rise to power, division had taken hold in the United States as a result of the Iraq War and the 2008 financial crisis. It should be noted that contrary to Obama's repeated calls for “unity” prior to taking office, both Obama’s administration and Trump's administration stood back and watched these divisions widen.

The lineup of Biden's administration is notable first for its consideration of race and gender, and second for its inclusion of members from the previous Obama administration, such as Antony Blinken, whom Biden has nominated as the U.S. secretary of state, and Jake Sullivan, nominated as national security advisor. I hope they will correct what needed changing in the previous administration and put their abilities to good use.


【主張】米大統領選確定 理念より現実と向き合え


米大統領選は、全米50州と首都ワシントンで選ばれた大統領選挙人による投票で、民主党のバイデン前副大統領の選出が確実となった。

 来年1月6日に連邦議会によって最終的に確定し、バイデン氏は20日、大統領に就任する。

 投票を受け、バイデン氏は「団結し、癒やすために次のページに進むときだ」と述べたが、その通りだ。不正があった、なかった-といったトランプ陣営との泥仕合はこれで終わりにしてもらいたい。

 バイデン氏が急ぎ取り組むべき課題は、日本や欧州の同盟国との連携を強化し、中国などの力による現状変更の試みから国際秩序を守ることだ。

 バイデン氏は「米国は同盟国と組んだときが最も強力というのが私の信念だ」と述べ、「米国は世界を率いる」と強調した。「米国第一」を口癖のように唱えたトランプ大統領に対し、バイデン氏は国際協調を前面に掲げる。言葉だけは頼もしい。

 だが、肝心なのは、協調そのものより、結集した力でどう中国などに対処するかだ。

 バイデン氏はオバマ前大統領のもと8年間、副大統領を務めた。そのオバマ氏は「核なき世界」に代表される高い理念を掲げた。

 それ自体は米国の良心を強くアピールしたが、中国の台頭や北朝鮮の核武装といった現実の脅威に対処できなかった。

 バイデン氏には同様の危うさを感じる。耳に心地の良い理念を語るのも重要だが、現実の課題と正面から向き合ってほしい。

 バイデン氏は「分断より団結」を強調する。米国社会の分断の状況は深刻だが、頑(かたく)なに敗北を認めないトランプ氏に責任のすべてを問うのは早計だ。

 それ以前に、イラク戦争やリーマン・ショックなどを通じ、米国分断は深まっていた。オバマ氏が大統領就任前から繰り返した「団結」の掛け声とは裏腹に、同政権が分断の克服に手をこまねいたことにも留意すべきだ。

 これまでに固まったバイデン次期政権の陣容は、人種や性別への配慮とともに、国務長官に起用されるブリンケン氏、国家安全保障問題担当の大統領補佐官となるサリバン氏ら、オバマ前政権の顔ぶれが目立つ。前政権の修正すべき点は修正し、実務家として能力を発揮してもらいたい。
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