The Importance of US Foreign Policy Updates
In today’s ever-changing global landscape, staying informed about US foreign policy is crucial. From the historic negotiations of past administrations to the current endeavors of the Biden administration, understanding the direction of US diplomacy is essential for individuals, businesses, and policymakers alike.
Why Subscribe to US Foreign Policy Updates?
By subscribing to US foreign policy updates, you gain access to valuable insights and analysis on the latest American foreign policy news. With a myFT Daily Recap email delivered to your inbox every morning, you can stay informed about the ongoing efforts and developments in US diplomacy.
Negotiating Peace in the Middle East: The Biden Administration’s Mission
One of the longstanding challenges in US foreign policy is negotiating peace agreements in the Middle East. From Kissinger to Carter, and from Clinton to Kushner, each administration has pursued efforts to establish peace between Israel and the various countries in the region. Now, it is the turn of the Biden administration to embark on this well-trodden path.
The Biden administration is working on what is being referred to as a “great bargain” in the Middle East. This ambitious endeavor aims to achieve the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. As part of this deal, the United States is willing to offer security guarantees to Saudi Arabia and assistance for a civilian nuclear program. In return, Israel would be expected to make concessions to the Palestinians.
The Potential Wins and Risks of the Deal
To its supporters, the Biden administration’s big deal offers several enticing-sounding “wins.” It has the potential to spread peace, prosperity, and stability in the Middle East. It could also strengthen the United States in its struggle for global influence with China. Additionally, a successful deal would provide Biden with a significant diplomatic achievement to showcase in time for the 2024 presidential election.
However, the reality of the deal may not be as appealing as it seems. The United States could find itself pledging to defend an autocratic regime in Saudi Arabia while bolstering an Israeli government that is eroding its own democracy. Furthermore, the desired gains, such as progress for the Palestinians and a retreat against China, may never materialize. In that case, the big deal would turn out to be nothing more than a big illusion.
Difficulties in US-Saudi Arabia Relations
Relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States have been strained during the Biden administration. The release of a US government report accusing Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, of direct involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has infuriated the kingdom. The warmer reception given to Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Saudi Arabia has further complicated matters.
China’s Role in Middle Eastern Affairs
China’s involvement in the Middle East has played a significant role in reshaping the United States’ engagement in the region. China helped negotiate peace between Iran and Saudi Arabia last March, highlighting its growing influence. The Saudis’ decision to join the BRICS, a bloc of countries increasingly seen as Beijing’s answer to the G7, further solidifies China’s position.
Washington’s Re-engagement with the Middle East
The Biden administration initially sought to disengage from the Middle East to focus on countering China’s rise. However, the growing ties between Riyadh and Beijing convinced the White House that re-engagement in the Middle East was essential in the global race for influence with China. Considering Saudi Arabia’s significant role in various arenas, including finance, trade, security, and regulation, getting them back on the American side became a priority.
Risks and Concerns with the US-Saudi Arabia-Israel Deal
While the attraction of the US-Saudi Arabia-Israel deal is apparent, it also comes with risks. Unlike countries such as Japan or Germany, Saudi Arabia is not known as a democracy. The kingdom’s human rights record remains dismal, with recent reports accusing it of shooting hundreds of Ethiopian refugees. Even Biden’s allies, like Senator Chris Murphy, express concerns about the United States aligning itself with autocratic regimes and eroding the promotion of democracy.
The Israeli component of the agreement also poses challenges. Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is accused of undermining Israeli democracy and allowing the acceleration of Israeli settlements at the expense of the Palestinians. Netanyahu’s corruption trial raises alarms about rewarding him with a historic peace deal with Saudi Arabia. The hope that concessions to the Palestinians will revive the two-state solution might prove unrealistic, given the lack of means or will by the parties involved.
Assessing the Big Deal in the Middle East
Though the Biden administration’s big deal may appear appealing, it carries the risk of rewarding the wrong actors at the wrong time and for the wrong reasons. The potential benefits of peace, prosperity, and stability must be carefully weighed against the risks of reinforcing autocratic regimes and undermining democracy. Additionally, the anticipated gains in countering China and advancing the Palestinian cause may not materialize as hoped.
The world is increasingly caught in a struggle for global influence between the United States and China. As this contest unfolds on multiple fronts, including finance, trade, security, and regulation, major players like Saudi Arabia are inevitably drawn into the fray. However, both policymakers and the public must critically evaluate the consequences of their choices and consider the ultimate vision for the world’s future.
In Conclusion
Staying updated on US foreign policy is essential in today’s interconnected world. The Biden administration’s endeavor to negotiate a major deal in the Middle East between Saudi Arabia and Israel carries great potential, along with significant risks. Rewarding autocratic regimes while eroding democracy and the uncertain progress for the Palestinians pose challenges to this ambitious undertaking. As international competition escalates, thoughtful analysis and careful consideration of the long-term consequences are vital for shaping a more peaceful and prosperous future.
—————————————————-
| Article | Link |
|---|---|
| UK Artful Impressions | Premiere Etsy Store |
| Sponsored Content | View |
| 90’s Rock Band Review | View |
| Ted Lasso’s MacBook Guide | View |
| Nature’s Secret to More Energy | View |
| Ancient Recipe for Weight Loss | View |
| MacBook Air i3 vs i5 | View |
| You Need a VPN in 2023 – Liberty Shield | View |
Receive free updates on US foreign policy.
we will send you a myFT Daily Recap email gathering latest american foreign policy news every morning.
From Kissinger to Carter, and from Clinton to Kushner, the need to negotiate peace agreements in the Middle East is a constant in US diplomacy. Now it is the turn of the Biden administration to embark on this well-trodden path.
The White House is working on a “great bargain” in the Middle East that would lead to the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. To help achieve this, the United States is said to be willing to offer security guarantees to Saudi Arabia, as well as assistance for a civilian nuclear program. Israel’s part of the deal is that it would offer some concessions to the Palestinians.
To its backers, Biden’s big deal offers several enticing-sounding “wins.” It would spread peace, prosperity and stability in the Middle East. It would strengthen the United States in the struggle for global influence with China. And it would give Biden a diplomatic achievement to brag about, in time for the 2024 presidential election.
Unfortunately, the reality of the deal could be a lot less appealing. The United States could end up vowing to defend an erratic autocracy in Saudi Arabia, while bolstering an Israeli government that is rapidly eroding its own democracy. In the meantime, the hoped-for gains—retreat against China and progress for the Palestinians—may never materialize. In that case, the big deal will turn out to be a big illusion.
Relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States have been difficult during the Biden administration. The kingdom’s de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, has been enraged by the release of a US government report accusing him of direct involvement in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist. The red carpet treatment received by Xi Jinping when visited Saudi Arabia was noticeably warmer than the reception given to Biden.
It was China, not the United States, that helped negotiate peace between Iran and Saudi Arabia last March. And the Saudis have just announced that they will join the BRICS, who are increasingly looking like Beijing’s answer to the G7.
All of this has created unrest in Washington, which is certainly part of the story. The Biden administration wanted to disengage from the Middle East and focus on the rise of China. But the flirtation between Riyadh and Beijing helped persuade the White House that a re-engagement in the Middle East was necessary, as part of the global race for influence with China.
The fight between the United States and China to shape the global order is taking place on many fronts, including financial, trade, security and regulation. As a large economy, a member of the G20, and the world’s second-largest oil producer, Saudi Arabia is inevitably a major player in all of these arenas. So getting the Saudis back into the American camp has become a goal for Washington.
Yet while the attractions of the US-Saudi Arabia-Israel deal are clear, so are the risks.
Unlike other countries that the United States has vowed to defend (such as Japan or Germany), Saudi Arabia is not anyone’s idea of a democracy. The country’s human rights record remains grim. Human Rights Watch recently published a reportaccusing the kingdom of shooting dead hundreds of Ethiopian refugees.
Even Biden’s close allies in Washington, such as Sen. Chris Murphy, are uneasy. like murphy explained For me recently, you have big questions about “ensuring the protection of a large country in the Middle East that tends to fight with its neighbors quite often.” The senator believes the battle for global influence with China is ultimately “about what form of government this world is going to live in.” “Getting closer and closer to brutal dictatorships makes it much more difficult. . . to try to sell democracy.”
Since Murphy heads the Middle East subcommittee of the Senate foreign relations committee, his views matter. He would be a real own goal for the Biden administration if he concluded a new treaty and found out that he cannot pass it in Congress.
The Israeli part of the agreement also presents problems. The current government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, is widely accused of undermining Israeli democracy. Netanyahu’s coalition contains “horrible racist parties,” in the words of Tamir Pardo, former head of the Israeli intelligence agency, appointed by Netanyahu himself. Those parties are accelerating the expansion of Israeli settlements, at the expense of the Palestinians, while violence in the occupied territories it increases.
Netanyahu is on trial for corruption, which should ring an alarm bell or two in the Biden White House. But one thing that could salvage the Israeli prime minister’s domestic political standing is acting like a statesman presiding over a historic peace deal with Saudi Arabia.
Supporters of the big deal counter that, as part of the deal, Israel will have to make concessions to the Palestinians. This could revive the two-state solution, while forcing Netanyahu to form a coalition with more moderate parties. But Netanyahu has many ways of avoiding any theoretical concessions to the Palestinians. And it is highly doubtful that the Saudis or the Americans have the means or the will to force genuine progress toward a two-state solution.
The Biden administration’s big deal in the Middle East may look appealing. But you run the risk of rewarding the wrong people, at the wrong time, and for the wrong reasons.
—————————————————-