To Curb Russia and China... Biden Makes Conciliatory Gesture to Arab Dictators

"Even If Unpleasant, We Must Dance with Dictators"
President Biden Explains Middle East Tour Background
Desperate for Saudi Help to Pressure Russia

U.S. President Joe Biden is arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, on the 13th (local time), stepping off his official plane. [Image source=Yonhap News]

U.S. President Joe Biden is analyzed to have started improving relations with Arab dictators, from whom he had previously kept his distance, in order to respond to the expanding influence of Russia and China.

On the 16th (local time), The New York Times (NYT) explained the background of President Biden's first Middle East tour, stating, "If the bigger goal is to contain Russia and outpace China, then despite the displeasure, the only option is to dance with dictators."

During his presidential campaign, President Biden criticized Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, vowing to make him an "international outcast," but he met with him during this tour.

Saudi Arabia has been a long-time ally of the U.S., but relations worsened after Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed by Saudi agents at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2018.

At that time, U.S. intelligence agencies pointed to Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman as the mastermind behind the assassination, and President Biden had refused to meet with him.

However, with international oil prices destabilized due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it is analyzed that President Biden had no choice but to seek out Saudi Arabia, which influences global oil prices. The U.S. is trying to block Russian crude oil exports to pressure Russia, but since this could cause international oil prices to soar further, President Biden desperately needs Saudi Arabia's help to increase production.

China's expanding influence in the Middle East is also cited as a reason why President Biden is working to improve relations with the Arab world. Centered on the multinational telecommunications equipment company Huawei, China has been steadily expanding its 5G and 6G information and communication networks in the Middle East. The U.S. is concerned that China may dominate global standards in key future infrastructure industries.

At the final schedule of his tour, the 'Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) +3 Summit' held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, President Biden emphasized, "The U.S. will not leave the Middle East for China, Russia, and Iran to fill the vacuum," adding, "We will strengthen our foothold in the Middle East region based on active and principled leadership."

However, opinions are divided regarding the effectiveness of President Biden's tour. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) explained that Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman gained an opportunity to re-enter the diplomatic arena, but President Biden's achievements will require waiting from weeks to months. Additionally, Saudi Arabia stated, "There were no discussions related to crude oil at this summit," which has been criticized for only increasing uncertainty about international oil prices.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.