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| Biden May Take On Expanded Role in Foreign Policy in Second Term | |
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| WASHINGTON — When Secretary of State John Kerry was scrambling last week to prevent the leader of the Syrian opposition from boycotting a meeting with him in Rome — a snub that could have spoiled his maiden voyage as the nation’s chief diplomat — he leaned on an old Senate colleague to help him out: Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. | WASHINGTON — When Secretary of State John Kerry was scrambling last week to prevent the leader of the Syrian opposition from boycotting a meeting with him in Rome — a snub that could have spoiled his maiden voyage as the nation’s chief diplomat — he leaned on an old Senate colleague to help him out: Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. |
| After Mr. Kerry extracted an agreement from the Syrian opposition leader, Moaz al-Khatib, to show up, Mr. Biden sealed the deal with a follow-up call. The vice president, who had met Mr. Khatib at a security conference in Munich, praised him for his courage, told him how important the meeting was and promised to stay in touch, according to the White House. | After Mr. Kerry extracted an agreement from the Syrian opposition leader, Moaz al-Khatib, to show up, Mr. Biden sealed the deal with a follow-up call. The vice president, who had met Mr. Khatib at a security conference in Munich, praised him for his courage, told him how important the meeting was and promised to stay in touch, according to the White House. |
| It was a classic example of how Mr. Biden has used personal relationships to amass influence in the Obama administration — a talent that current and former officials predicted would allow him to further expand his influence on foreign policy during President Obama’s second term. | It was a classic example of how Mr. Biden has used personal relationships to amass influence in the Obama administration — a talent that current and former officials predicted would allow him to further expand his influence on foreign policy during President Obama’s second term. |
| Mr. Biden will shift to another part of the Middle East on Monday, when he will set the stage for Mr. Obama’s first presidential trip to Israel later this month, in a speech to the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, an influential pro-Israel lobbying group. | Mr. Biden will shift to another part of the Middle East on Monday, when he will set the stage for Mr. Obama’s first presidential trip to Israel later this month, in a speech to the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, an influential pro-Israel lobbying group. |
| When Mr. Biden last spoke to the group in 2009, he warned them “you’re not going to like this,” before laying out Mr. Obama’s demand, largely rebuffed, that Israel stop building Jewish settlements in the West Bank. This time, officials said, he will be more conciliatory, presaging a less confrontational approach during the president’s visit. | When Mr. Biden last spoke to the group in 2009, he warned them “you’re not going to like this,” before laying out Mr. Obama’s demand, largely rebuffed, that Israel stop building Jewish settlements in the West Bank. This time, officials said, he will be more conciliatory, presaging a less confrontational approach during the president’s visit. |
| “Biden has great credibility with the pro-Israel community,” said Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Michael B. Oren. “He has always been able to speak candidly and openly with us, all the while making it clear that he stands foursquare with the president.” | “Biden has great credibility with the pro-Israel community,” said Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Michael B. Oren. “He has always been able to speak candidly and openly with us, all the while making it clear that he stands foursquare with the president.” |
| Mr. Biden, officials said, used his ties on Capitol Hill to champion another unpopular cause: Chuck Hagel, also an old Senate friend. With Mr. Hagel under attack over his positions on Iran and remarks he made about Israel, officials said Mr. Biden worked the phones to reassure skeptical senators and help eke out his confirmation as defense secretary. | Mr. Biden, officials said, used his ties on Capitol Hill to champion another unpopular cause: Chuck Hagel, also an old Senate friend. With Mr. Hagel under attack over his positions on Iran and remarks he made about Israel, officials said Mr. Biden worked the phones to reassure skeptical senators and help eke out his confirmation as defense secretary. |
| Just as important to Mr. Biden’s rise is his role in policy debates. With the exception of the raid on Osama bin Laden, which Mr. Biden famously advised delaying, there are few big policy deliberations in which he has not lined up with Mr. Obama. On issues like Afghanistan or Syria, his cautious instincts have prevailed over those advocating a more aggressive course. | Just as important to Mr. Biden’s rise is his role in policy debates. With the exception of the raid on Osama bin Laden, which Mr. Biden famously advised delaying, there are few big policy deliberations in which he has not lined up with Mr. Obama. On issues like Afghanistan or Syria, his cautious instincts have prevailed over those advocating a more aggressive course. |
| In addition to pushing for a faster timetable for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, he was also among those who opposed supplying weapons to the rebels in Syria — a proposal developed by David H. Petraeus, the former director of the C.I.A., and supported by Hillary Rodham Clinton, then the secretary of state. Mr. Biden was joined in resisting the proposal by Thomas E. Donilon, the national security adviser, with whom he — not surprisingly — also has longstanding personal ties. | In addition to pushing for a faster timetable for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, he was also among those who opposed supplying weapons to the rebels in Syria — a proposal developed by David H. Petraeus, the former director of the C.I.A., and supported by Hillary Rodham Clinton, then the secretary of state. Mr. Biden was joined in resisting the proposal by Thomas E. Donilon, the national security adviser, with whom he — not surprisingly — also has longstanding personal ties. |
| Besides being advocates of more aggressive policies, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Petraeus, along with former Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, each brought to the administration stature and independence that their successors cannot match, another contributor to Mr. Biden’s increased role. | Besides being advocates of more aggressive policies, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Petraeus, along with former Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, each brought to the administration stature and independence that their successors cannot match, another contributor to Mr. Biden’s increased role. |
| “It’s not so much that he intends to expand his influence, but his stature will rise by default,” said Vali Nasr, a former State Department official who is the dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. | “It’s not so much that he intends to expand his influence, but his stature will rise by default,” said Vali Nasr, a former State Department official who is the dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. |
| Mr. Kerry and Mr. Hagel are not the only Biden allies to have prominent places in the second term. Mr. Biden’s top foreign-policy aide, Antony J. Blinken, has been promoted to be Mr. Obama’s deputy national security adviser, replacing Denis R. McDonough. In that low-profile but powerful job, Mr. Blinken will help resolve disputes between the State Department, the Pentagon and the C.I.A. | Mr. Kerry and Mr. Hagel are not the only Biden allies to have prominent places in the second term. Mr. Biden’s top foreign-policy aide, Antony J. Blinken, has been promoted to be Mr. Obama’s deputy national security adviser, replacing Denis R. McDonough. In that low-profile but powerful job, Mr. Blinken will help resolve disputes between the State Department, the Pentagon and the C.I.A. |
| To replace Mr. Blinken, Mr. Biden last week hired Jacob J. Sullivan, a rising star who was a top adviser to Mrs. Clinton. Mr. Sullivan, 36, who traveled with the secretary of state while serving as the State Department’s policy planning director, has deep experience on issues like the Arab uprisings and China. | To replace Mr. Blinken, Mr. Biden last week hired Jacob J. Sullivan, a rising star who was a top adviser to Mrs. Clinton. Mr. Sullivan, 36, who traveled with the secretary of state while serving as the State Department’s policy planning director, has deep experience on issues like the Arab uprisings and China. |
| The recruitment of Mr. Sullivan — which included a phone call to him from Mr. Obama on Air Force One — was noted in political circles because if Mrs. Clinton were to run for president again in 2016, he would be likely to work on her campaign, as he did in 2008. Mr. Biden has conspicuously refused to rule out his own run for the presidency. | The recruitment of Mr. Sullivan — which included a phone call to him from Mr. Obama on Air Force One — was noted in political circles because if Mrs. Clinton were to run for president again in 2016, he would be likely to work on her campaign, as he did in 2008. Mr. Biden has conspicuously refused to rule out his own run for the presidency. |
| Mr. Obama gave Mr. Biden his own turf in the first term by handing him the Iraq portfolio, and the vice president helped engineer the brisk American withdrawal from that war. But with Iraq receding as an issue for the United States, the question is what turf might Mr. Biden try to claim now? | Mr. Obama gave Mr. Biden his own turf in the first term by handing him the Iraq portfolio, and the vice president helped engineer the brisk American withdrawal from that war. But with Iraq receding as an issue for the United States, the question is what turf might Mr. Biden try to claim now? |
| China offers a tantalizing possibility, given that he has cultivated ties to its incoming leader, Xi Jinping. Mr. Biden spent hours with Mr. Xi, the Chinese vice president, in China in 2011, and again last year when he played host to him in Washington. | China offers a tantalizing possibility, given that he has cultivated ties to its incoming leader, Xi Jinping. Mr. Biden spent hours with Mr. Xi, the Chinese vice president, in China in 2011, and again last year when he played host to him in Washington. |
| With Mr. Xi slated to become president at the end of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, Mr. Obama will become his official counterpart. But Mr. Biden’s relationship with Mr. Xi, officials said, would give him an insight into China’s leadership that could expand his role informally. | With Mr. Xi slated to become president at the end of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, Mr. Obama will become his official counterpart. But Mr. Biden’s relationship with Mr. Xi, officials said, would give him an insight into China’s leadership that could expand his role informally. |
| Mrs. Clinton and the former Treasury secretary, Timothy F. Geithner, each staked their claim to China through an annual meeting known as the Strategic and Economic Dialogue. While that dialogue is expected to continue, neither Mr. Kerry nor the new Treasury secretary, Jacob J. Lew, has the China experience that they did. | Mrs. Clinton and the former Treasury secretary, Timothy F. Geithner, each staked their claim to China through an annual meeting known as the Strategic and Economic Dialogue. While that dialogue is expected to continue, neither Mr. Kerry nor the new Treasury secretary, Jacob J. Lew, has the China experience that they did. |
| “There is reasonable speculation about whether Kerry and Lew are going to be Hillary-Geithner redux,” said Jeffrey A. Bader, a senior director for Asia at the National Security Council from 2009 to 2011. | “There is reasonable speculation about whether Kerry and Lew are going to be Hillary-Geithner redux,” said Jeffrey A. Bader, a senior director for Asia at the National Security Council from 2009 to 2011. |
| Mr. Biden’s aides declined to comment on his foreign-policy aspirations, saying he was immersed in efforts to pass gun control laws. They were less concerned with Mr. Xi last week than his meeting with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York. | Mr. Biden’s aides declined to comment on his foreign-policy aspirations, saying he was immersed in efforts to pass gun control laws. They were less concerned with Mr. Xi last week than his meeting with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York. |
| But for a White House intent on controlling foreign policy, an enhanced role for the vice president raises few qualms. | But for a White House intent on controlling foreign policy, an enhanced role for the vice president raises few qualms. |
| “Biden is very closely integrated into the foreign policy portfolio,” said Benjamin J. Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser. “He’s a key player that can take on specific issues, build specific relationships.” | “Biden is very closely integrated into the foreign policy portfolio,” said Benjamin J. Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser. “He’s a key player that can take on specific issues, build specific relationships.” |