Khalid Aljabri: Biden should save ties with Saudi Arabia — with conditions - The Washington Post
Washington PostMay 26, 2022
The Facts
On Tues., the White House confirmed that US Pres. Biden's first presidential trip to the Middle East from July 13-16 will include a visit to Saudi Arabia - where he will reportedly meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).
Biden will also hold talks with PM Naftali Bennett in Israel, and meet his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas before attending a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) meeting with Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Challenging global developments and US national interests have compelled Washington to maintain ties with Saudi Arabia and MBS. Riyadh is a controversial but important partner. Given the kingdom's reliance on Washington, Biden could even leverage the trip to persuade MBS to make concessions on human rights.
Establishment-critical narrative
This is just another example of the US' hypocritical double standards regarding international affairs. It was the CIA who held MBS directly responsible for Khashoggi's murder, but as soon as the US' own economic and geopolitical interests were at stake, it threw its alleged values overboard. Out of sheer desperation, the US is now increasingly humiliating itself on the world stage and making itself the "pariah" of credibility.
