48 hours before US Air Force One flew to the Middle East, US President Joe Biden wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post titled: “Why am I going to Saudi Arabia?”
In an article published on the newspaper’s website on Saturday evening, Biden said: “I will travel to the Middle East to begin a new and promising chapter, and that this trip will come at a vital time for the region and advance important American interests.”
Biden explained that he is committed to a more secure and integrated Middle East and that achieving security, peace, and stability in the region benefits Americans, and said, “Waterways in the Middle East are important to world trade and supply chains depend on them. .in Ukraine”.
The President of the United States indicated that he seeks unity among the countries of the region through diplomacy and cooperation, not disintegration, noting that “the outbreak of conflicts will lead to violent extremism that threatens our homeland, or to new wars that may place a new burden on the armed forces USA”. forces and their families.”
“Avoiding this scenario is of paramount importance to me,” Biden said in his op-ed. I will conduct intensive diplomacy, including through face-to-face meetings, to achieve our goals.”
Biden tried to boast that the Middle East is more stable and secure than what he inherited 18 months ago from the previous US administration, referring to the attacks on the US embassy in Baghdad a month before Biden’s inauguration as US president. He indicated, without naming Trump, that he ordered B-52 bombers to fly into the area to deter these attacks, but the attacks were unsuccessful and continued.
Biden singled out the war in Yemen, noting that it has led to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with no political process in sight to end hostilities. He also mentioned the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and said, “After my predecessor violated the successful nuclear deal, Iran passed a law requiring a rapid acceleration of its nuclear program. Then, when the last administration tried to condemn Iran for this act in the UN Security Council, the United States found itself isolated and alone.
“In my first weeks in office, our military and intelligence experts warned that the region was under severe pressure, requiring urgent and intense diplomacy,” Biden added.
The President of the United States listed what he sees as his administration’s success in dealing with the files of Iraq, Yemen and Iran and said: “In Iraq, we have completed the American combat mission and shifted our military presence to focus on training Iraqis while maintaining the global anti-ISIS coalition we formed when I was vice president, now he is dedicated to preventing the re-emergence of ISIS. We also responded to threats against the Americans. The number of Iranian-sponsored attacks has fallen sharply compared to two years earlier. And last February in Syria, we expelled[ISIS]leader Hajj Abdullah, demonstrating America’s ability to eliminate terrorist threats wherever they try to hide.”
Biden boasted that he had appointed Timothy Lenderking as Special Envoy to Yemen, noting that he spoke with the leaders of the region and laid the groundwork for a truce and humanitarian aid could be delivered, so recent months in Yemen have been the most peaceful in seven years.
Of Iran, Biden said: “We again met with allies and partners in Europe and around the world. Right now Iran is isolated until it returns to the nuclear deal that my predecessor abandoned and there is no plan to replace it. Last month, more than 30 countries joined us in condemning Iran’s lack of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency due to its past nuclear activities. My administration will continue to increase diplomatic and economic pressure until Iran is ready to return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal.”
Biden boasted that his administration helped end the Gaza war in just 11 days, noting that the war could have lasted for months. “We have worked with Israel, Egypt, Qatar and Jordan to keep the peace by preventing terrorists from rearming,” the president said. We have also restored America’s relationship with the Palestinians. Working with Congress, my administration has returned almost $500 million in support for the Palestinians, while delivering the largest support package to Israel in history — over $4 billion.”
Regarding the visit to Saudi Arabia, Biden tried to emphasize that his goal with Saudi Arabia is to reorient relations, not break them, stressing that Saudi Arabia has always been a strategic partner for 80 years, praising its role in many regional issues. . , and said: Saudi Arabia helped restore unity among the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, fully supported the truce in Yemen, and is now working with the United States to help stabilize oil markets with other OPEC producers.
Biden explained that his visit is also aimed at helping his country defeat China and counter Russian aggression. “We have to deal directly with countries that can affect these results,” he said. Saudi Arabia is one such country, and when I meet with the leaders of Saudi Arabia on Friday, my goal will be to promote a strategic partnership that moves forward based on shared interests and responsibilities and upholding core American values.
“On Friday, I will be the first president to fly from Israel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,” Biden added. This trip will also be a small symbol of the nascent relationship and steps toward normalization between Israel and the Arab world, which my administration is working to deepen and expand. Leaders from across the region will gather in Jeddah to showcase the possibility of a more stable and integrated Middle East, in which the United States plays a vital leadership role.
Biden acknowledged that the Middle East is still full of problems, pointing the finger at Iran, its nuclear program and its support of proxy groups, as well as the challenges of the civil war in Syria, the food security crisis exacerbated by Russia’s war against Ukraine, and the influence of terrorist groups. , which are still in effect In a number of countries, political deadlock in Iraq, Libya and Lebanon. “We need to address all of these issues, and when I meet with leaders from across the region, I will make it clear how important it is to make progress in these areas,” he said.
And he again boasted that his administration’s approach was better than that of his predecessor, President Trump, without mentioning his name, and said, “The region, compared to what it was 18 months ago, is less pressurized and more integrated,” noting, that Iraq, which has long been a source of proxy conflicts. The regional rivalry now serves as a platform for diplomacy between Saudi Arabia and Iran. “My friend King Abdullah of Jordan recently referred to the ‘new vibe’ in the region, with countries wondering how we can communicate and work with each other, and these are promising trends that the United States can push forward like no other. country can,” Biden said. And my trip next week will serve that purpose.”