IS BIDEN PURSUING A SCORCHED EARTH POLICY?

What is US President Joe Biden up to?

- J OYEETA BASU

He is a lame duck with one foot out of the door before Donald Trump takes charge as the next President of the United States in two months from now, in January 2025. It's Biden's policies that the American people voted against resoundingly and gave a historic mandate to the Republicans led by Trump -historic because the Republicans now control the presidency, the House and the Senate. Apart from the fact that Donald Trump even won the popular vote over Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris. In other words, Biden may have the chair but does not have the mandate to take any major policy decision and should be concerned about the transition, on how to hand over power to the incoming Trump administration. He certainly does not have the mandate to authorise any action that will dangerously escalate an ongoing war-in this case, the Ukraine war. Just when not only a war-weary American population, but the whole world was hoping that Russia and Ukraine would be brought to the negotiating table to discuss peace, comes the news that Biden has authorised Ukraine to use the long range-SOO km-American "Army Tactical Missile System" (ATACAMS), it has been provided with, outside of its territory, meaning, hit inside Russia. Apparently, this ! I. will give Ukraine more parity with Russia and an emboldened Volodymyr Zelenskyy seems determined to use these missiles. "Attacks are not carried out with words; these things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves,