According to President Joe Biden, the US will continue to be a proactive and engaged partner in the Middle East, putting an emphasis on regional ties.
President Joe Biden of the United States stated during a summit in Jeddah, a city on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia, that the United States “will not walk away” from the Middle East and leave a void to be filled by Russia, China, or Iran.
He also stated that the US is dedicated to making sure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon at the conference on Saturday.
At the summit, the leaders of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations—Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates—as well as Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq are debating bilateral relations with the US and regional security.
As he concluded the final stage of a four-day trip intended to strengthen connections in the area, Biden used the meeting to outline his plan for the Middle East.
Biden declared, “We won’t just disappear and let China, Russia, or Iran fill the void. We’ll work to advance this situation with aggressive, moral leadership from the United States.
Biden stated that he was turning the page after Washington’s invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, despite the fact that the US military continues to target armed groups in the region and remains stationed at bases around the Middle East.
Today, he declared,
“I am glad to be able to say that the period of land battles in the region, wars that involved significant American forces, is not underway.”
‘Protect Human RightsÂ
Additionally, Biden urged his counterparts—many of whom are in charge of repressive regimes—to protect human rights—including those of women—and to permit free speech for their people.
He asserted that the nations that “unleash the full potential of their populations”—including enabling citizens to “question and criticize leaders without fear of reprisal”—will prevail in the future.
The US president met separately on Saturday morning with the rulers of Iraq, Egypt, and the UAE.
He met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday, who US intelligence services believe “authorized” the 2018 operation that resulted in the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He also met with Saudi King Salman.
Biden claimed that after shaking hands with Crown Prince Mohammed, he brought up the Khashoggi issue and warned against attacks on dissidents in the future.
The dismembered body of Khashoggi was found at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, but no trace of his remains has ever been found. Crown Prince Mohammed, who presided over the summit’s start on Saturday, has denied any involvement in the death of Khashoggi.
‘Expansion of Oil Output: Middle East’
The crown prince of Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday that his nation would expand oil output to a maximum of 13 million barrels per day.
But Crown Prince Mohammed emphasized that despite the increased demand for oil brought on by the world energy crisis, his nation would be unable to boost production any further.
He said it as he declared the GCC summit open. Additionally, the crown prince urged Iran to “cooperate with the states in our region” and refrain from meddling in the domestic affairs of other countries.
Additionally, he exhorted Tehran to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Biden thinks there are other worthwhile aims that will take time to realize their benefits, according to Kimberly Halkett, White House correspondent for Al Jazeera.
In the future, “he anticipates better cooperation between Israel and its Arab neighbors,” Halkett stated. “There will be greater economic productivity and greater economic collaboration, but these things won’t be appearing anytime soon.”
Biden’s stay in Saudi Arabia is more crucial than his stop in Israel, according to Marwan Bishara, senior political commentator for Al Jazeera.
The strong partnership with Israel makes him believe that Saudi Arabia’s developments are novel.
Biden’s plan, according to Bishara, is based on diplomacy, deterrence, and de-escalation.
It’s necessary to reiterate the points made by the US president: America will continue its diplomatic efforts. Additionally, it will use deterrence to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Also, de-escalation He praised the notion of a ceasefire in Yemen once more,” Bishara continued
