Biden departs for the Middle East Tuesday night. He stops in Israel first, before moving on to Saudia Arabia. The country he calls a “pariah”, and whose government he claims has “very little social redeeming worth.” Here is what Biden had to say on his campaign trail in 2020:
Under a Biden-Harris administration, we will reassess our relationship with the Kingdom, end US support for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, and make sure America does not check its values at the door to sell arms or buy oil.
Biden seems to be able “check his values at home” in spite of America’s current gas price crisis.
Question – Instead of asking OPEC for more production, why don’t we return to producing our oil ourselves?
Among the topics that he will be visiting Jerusalem and Jeddah are the Israeli-Arab relationship, Iran nuclear deal, human rights, and the Israeli-Palestinian war. Yair Lapid is Isreal’s new prime minister. He is not expected to make significant progress on any of these topics. Israel also has a new prime minister. This, according to the AP, will serve as a “caretaker prime minister” while Israel prepares for another round in elections later this year. Iran is not interested in renegotiating its 2018 Iran nuclear deal.
Why is Biden taking this trip? Oil.
Jake Sullivan (National Security Advisor) gave away the game during a Monday press conference.
We agree with our general opinion that there must be enough supply on the world market to support both the American consumer and the global economy.
Joe will plead with the Saudis to lower gas prices and give the Dems a fighting chance to save the midterms.
Biden will meet with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who US intelligence believes is responsible for Jamal Khashoggi’s 2018 murder. He said it was fine because it would be part of a larger meeting. He stated to reporters in June:
I’m not going to meet with MBS. I’m going to an international meeting, and he’s going to be part of it.
Wait, you’re going to be in a meeting with him but you’re not going to meet him? Reminds me of the old Bill Clinton classic, “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.”
Interestingly, Biden wrote a defensive op-ed Saturday explaining this trip, and it appeared in none other than the pages of Khashoggi’s former employer, the Washington Post.
Biden is aware that many people have criticized his decision to travel to Saudi Arabia.
Many people don’t agree that I should travel to Saudi Arabia. When I travel abroad, fundamental freedoms are very important to me. These freedoms will be important to me on this trip, as well as in Israel and West Bank.
He should have added, “except, I’m just going to ignore that little dismemberment murder of Khashoggi for the time being because I really, really need oil.”
Many people are disappointed that Saudi Arabia suddenly produces more oil and lowers gas prices.
“I think that a rise in Saudi production is unlikely. “I expect some anodyne remarks from Saudi Arabia regarding helping balance global oil markets and meet global demand, and supporting economic growth and stability in the import countries,” said Ben Cahill, Senior Fellow at The Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Samantha Gross, director of the energy security and climate initiative at the Brookings Institution, agreed. “If the public is looking for lower gasoline prices after this trip,” she said, I think they’re bound to be disappointed.”
In conclusion, maybe Biden just wants to get out of the country for a while, since he’s taking such constant heat here at home amidst a disastrous presidency. It’s doubtful this trip will have any major breakthroughs.
