Biden justifies his visit to Saudi Arabia to the American public
Days before beginning his trip to the Middle East, and specifically to Saudi Arabia, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, addresses Americans and the world in a column published in the Washington Post.
In his column, the 46th President of the United States explains why his trip is important to maintain stability in the region and security within US borders. Biden's visit came under fire after it was confirmed, as well as being a complicated issue due to the bucket of cold water that the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi represented for relations between the Gulf monarchy and the United States.
As Biden describes it, his trip will be the first by a US president to the Middle East without American troops on combat missions in the region since 9/11. "It is my goal to keep it that way," Biden asserts in his column.
"A more secure and integrated Middle East benefits Americans in many ways. Its waterways are essential to global trade and the supply chains we depend on. Its energy resources are vital to mitigating the impact of Russia's war in Ukraine on global supplies. And a region that is coming together through diplomacy and cooperation - rather than pulling apart through conflict - is less likely to give rise to violent extremism that threatens our homeland or new wars that could place a new burden on American military forces and their families," President Biden continues in his message.
Throughout his remarks, the president winked several times at the administration of the previous occupant of the White House. The message Biden wanted to send through his column reinforces his narrative of a seasoned leader on the international stage in the face of Trump's sterile decisions. It makes use of the political strategy that describes the "legacy of the previous administration" as a heavy burden that hinders current governance.
The president presents the war in Yemen, efforts to reach a nuclear deal with Iran and the phased withdrawal of troops from Iraq as some of the main items that require the most attention on the White House foreign service agenda. Biden reviews some of his administration's achievements in stabilising the Middle East, before turning to Saudi Arabia.
"I know there are many who disagree with my decision to travel to Saudi Arabia. My views on human rights are clear and longstanding, and fundamental freedoms are always on the agenda when I travel abroad, as they will be during this trip, as well as in Israel and the West Bank," the president commented, also appreciating Saudi Arabia's role in restoring order and unity among the Gulf states, a step that substantially improves the balance in the Middle East. Relations between the Arab countries and Israel are gradually normalising and Biden welcomes this. He will be the first US president to fly from Israel to Jeddah.
According to analysts consulted by Atalayar, the president's trip may be the last necessary step for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords and, together with the United Arab Emirates, to recognise the State of Israel and begin deep cooperation with its government to make the region prosper and create a common front against the Iranian regime. "It is a matter of time before relations with Israel normalise. This trip will accelerate that process," Sonia Sánchez Díaz, a specialist in International Relations at the Francisco de Vitoria University, told this newspaper when Biden's trip was made public.
"Throughout my trip, I will keep in mind the millions of Americans who served in the region, including my son Beau, and the 7,054 who have died in conflicts in the Middle East and Afghanistan since September 11, 2001," Biden writes in conclusion, making it clear once again that his message is aimed primarily at the American electorate and public at a time when Trump's shadow continues to lurk and loom large in the country's politics.
Americas Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra