However, it was not immediately clear how far Mr Biden was willing to go, or whether he was using the public comments as a warning to Saudi Arabia or as an attempt to placate those domestic critics, who accused him of being soft on the kingdom. No special adjudication group has been established to conduct formal reviews; no deadline has been set for a conclusion; and there are no options mentioned to consider.
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Some foreign policy veterans warned Biden against taking drastic action. Martin S. Indyk, a former diplomat in the Middle East who now works at the Council on Foreign Relations, said: “The United States should seek a new strategic agreement with Saudi Arabia instead of a divorce. kiss. “We need a more responsible Saudi leadership when it comes to oil production and behavior in the region. They need a more reliable U.S. security understanding to deal with the threats they face. We should both step back from the brink.”
Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who has also spent years in government dealing with Middle East issues, said Biden needs to consider the potential limitations of the severance. with Saudi Arabia, an important US ally. Countries that fight terrorism and counter Iran in the region.
“Biden will have to decide if the goal is to punish Saudi Arabia for domestic criticism or to try to change MBS’s behaviour,” he said, using the nickname for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “The latter will be difficult, even if Biden moves to suspend all arms sales – a response that could affect US policy in the Gulf regarding Iran.”
The president has received a lot of criticism because visit Saudi Arabia in July and fists punched Crown Prince Mohammedthough a campaign promises to make the kingdom international”pariahAbout the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The CIA has determined that Crown Prince Mohammed order the operation leading to the 2018 murder and dismemberment of Mr. Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post and a resident of the United States.
Overcoming his reservations, Biden and his advisers argued that restoring relations with Saudi Arabia was worth attacking for a variety of reasons, such as the need to boost energy markets. due to efforts to isolate Russia, one of the largest oil producers in the world. Although no specific announcement was made during Mr. Biden’s visit to Jeddah in July, US officials said at the time that they had understood with Saudi Arabia that they would increase oil production in the coming months. fall and lower gasoline prices on the eve of important parliamentary elections.
Saudi Arabia’s decision to reverse last week despite US pleas is a blow to Mr Biden and exposes him to further criticism even from his fellow Democrats, who that Saudi Arabia should be punished. Three Democrats in the House of Representatives have unveiled legislation requiring the removal of US troops and defense systems from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
