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

Even Ireland, possibly the most welcoming country on the planet for an American president, proved challenging for Joe Biden. 

First, he committed yet another embarrassing gaffe, mixing up New Zealand’s All Blacks rugby team with a British military force known as the Black and Tans that terrorized Ireland in the early 20th century. The goof provoked hilarity on social media and a sorrowful Times of London headline: “Gaffe spoils Biden’s charm offensive.”

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…