Biden's vast foreign policy experience has led to this surprising accomplishment

One of the most oft-repeated claims during Joe Biden's run for the presidency in 2020 was that his foreign policy experience would serve America well after Trump's tumultuous tenure.

More important was Biden’s underwhelming visit to Northern Ireland, which might have put some meat on the bones of his taxpayer-funded family vacation. The visit coincided with the 25th anniversary of the U.S.-brokered Friday Agreement, which ended the long-standing "troubles" pitting unionist loyalists (mostly protestants) against nationalist republicans (mostly Catholics.)

Unhappily, the power-sharing arrangement included in that pact has broken down, mired in post-Brexit negotiations. The government of Northern Ireland is barely functioning. Biden spent only a few hours in the north, and while there accomplished nothing. The reaction to his remarks and proposals, according even to left-leaning NPR, was "lukewarm"; an opinion column in the Belfast Telegraph declared Biden’s contributions "as bland and beige as they come." So much for muscular diplomacy.