WASHINGTON — In a relative rarity for presidential elections, both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have long records on foreign policy and clearly stated positions on many of the world’s hot spots.
Trump’s allies at the Republican National Convention are expected to argue that Biden has weakened America’s standing abroad and permitted the outbreak of conflicts between Russia and Ukraine as well as the Israelis and Palestinians. Biden, a Democrat who ran four years ago on a message of shoring up America’s foreign alliances and reversing Trump policies, argues that he has restored U.S. standing abroad.
Here’s a look at their records on key conflicts.
Afghanistan
One of Biden’s weakest arguments on foreign policy is the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years, America’s longest war.
The chaotic events of July, August and September of 2021 posed one of the first international challenges for the relatively young Biden administration. At least 13 American servicemen and women were killed in an attack at the Kabul airport in the midst of the withdrawal.
Biden, who had long advocated ending U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan dating to his time as vice president under Barack Obama, defended his decision to pull out, saying the goals of the original invasion after the 9/11 terrorist attacks two decades earlier had been accomplished.
However, Biden administration officials also blamed Trump for leaving…
