Remember during the 2020 election when one of the primary talking points in support of Joe Biden was that his administration would put the “adults” back in the room? Promises of a return to normalcy and competence were everywhere, from campaign ads to a deluge of press editorials.

Some of us stood perplexed during that time period and asked an obvious question: How could a guy who had been wrong about nearly every foreign policy issue of the last half-century represent a return to competency on the world stage?

As the results showed, those concerns were brushed aside for promises of rainbows and unicorn farts. After all, how could a man with 50 years in politics be bad at his job? Surely, his longevity was evidence enough of his immense qualifications?

Joe Biden’s rise to power and his subsequent failings have exposed the shallow state of America’s foreign policy. For many, glad-handing with the Eurotrash has become more important than delivering anything tangible. Did you see that worthless agreement Biden signed at the G7? Did you see him ride a choo-choo to Ukraine for a few hours? Those are the kinds of things the press swoon over while foreign policy screw-ups that actually matter are eschewed.

For example, the President of the United States saw fit to announce to his nation’s enemies that “We’ve run out of ammunition.”

Joe Biden wasn't supposed to say the quiet part out loud: "We've run out of ammunition". But now that the cat's out of the bag, one must ask whether continued support of Ukraine's military is even feasible as the conflict rages on. pic.twitter.com/jddIrHlSM8

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 9, 2023

There are a few ways to approach analyzing what Biden said in that clip. Is this just the old-man brain talking? For argument’s sake, let’s assume that. With tensions between the US and China at all-time highs, does announcing “We’ve run out of ammunition” help stop a possible invasion of Taiwan? Or does it encourage one? This is where his senility steps out of the realm of just harmless embarrassment. Being president has consequences, and being a loose cannon with no foreign policy sense whatsoever delivers bad ones.

Unfortunately, though, this doesn’t appear to just be a case of Biden’s mouth running amok. Rather, according to recent reports, the United States is actually running out of ammunition. In fact, the president admitted that in more detail while speaking to CNN. Per his remarks, the cluster munitions are being sent to Ukraine because the United States has essentially run out of regular artillery shells to give.

Biden told Zakaria that the cluster munitions were being sent as a “transition period” until the US is able to produce more 155mm artillery.

“This is a war relating to munitions. And they’re running out of that ammunition, and we’re low on it,” Biden said. “And so, what I finally did, I took the recommendation of the Defense Department to – not permanently – but to allow for this transition period, while we get more 155 weapons, these shells, for the Ukrainians.”

That would seem like a problem as China becomes increasingly aggressive throughout the world. Certainly, American ammunition levels are not something any president should be talking about out loud. No matter what the actual situation is, keeping your enemies guessing would seem prudent in this situation.

This article isn’t a critique of the war between Ukraine and Russia. The fact remains that one country invaded another, and the latter country has an obligation and right to defend itself. That’s not relevant to this discussion, though. American ammunition stockpiles are what they are. The question of whether the military-industrial complex can replenish them remains, whether you are a Ukrainian nationalist or wanted the war to end yesterday.

Reality doesn’t care about such arguments, and Biden’s statements are concerning. What is the plan here? To keep draining American stockpiles until the projection of power is no longer possible? To the chagrin of some, I’m not shy in saying I want Ukraine to beat Russia. At the same time, shouldn’t there be some goals set around the current counter-offensive that, if not met, help influence the path going forward? Something has to give because an unsustainable path remains unsustainable, no matter what moral position one holds.