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2022-10-18 -Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
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Biden drove 'historically' close Middle East allies into the arms of America's greatest enemies, experts say
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[FoxNews] The Biden administration's policy on the Middle East has fractured some of the United States' most dependable partnerships in the region, causing typically friendly countries to build stronger relationships with China and Russia.
"That countries that historically have been close partners of the United States are turning to Russia and China is a massive failure of American leadership," Victoria Coates, a senior research fellow for international affairs and national security at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital.
Coates' comments come amid a chaotic time for U.S. relations in the Middle East, including a disastrous retreat of American forces from Afghanistan, an on-again, off-again, nuclear negotiation with Iran, and a disconnect with Saudi Arabia over global energy policy.
That disconnect between President Biden and Middle Eastern partners became more evident in March, when leaders from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates declined to field a phone call from the president. Biden had hoped to discuss having the oil-rich countries increase exports amid soaring gas prices in the U.S. and a ban on imports of Russian gas, but was given the silent treatment for his efforts.
The Saudis issued a statement of their own in response on Thursday, saying that Biden had attempted to nudge them toward delaying the decision, which will likely boost oil prices in the U.S., until after next month's midterm elections, a move they argued "would have had negative economic consequences" for the member nations.
"These outcomes are based purely on economic considerations that take into account maintaining balance of supply and demand in the oil markets, as well as aim to limit volatility that does not serve the interests of consumers and producers," a Saudi Foreign Ministry official said in the statement.
"In the case of Saudi Arabia, the fundamental disconnect is that they see oil as a commodity that is a key pillar of their economy, while the Biden administration sees oil as a domestic political issue," said Coates who is also an advisory board member of the Vandenberg Coalition.
Russia and China have emerged in recent years as the chief geopolitical foes of the United States, a realization that has caused American leaders to pivot the country's foreign policy strategy toward addressing the emerging threats. But doing so has led traditional partners in the Middle East to look for other ways to further their own interests, which has often led them to pursue tighter ties with Moscow and Beijing.
China has continued to push its influence in the Middle East, becoming the largest buyer of oil from the Gulf region, investing in the region's infrastructure, and partnering with Saudi Arabia on ballistic missile development.
The Gulf states have also rebuffed a U.S.-led effort to isolate Russia on the international stage over its invasion of Ukraine, taking a more neutral stance on the conflict while standing by their agreement with Russia not to push a large increase in oil production.
"None of them want to partner with Russia and China—but they are exploring the option because they feel Washington is offering them nothing," Coates said.
Gulf states may also have an easier time in negotiations with Russia and China, who view such partnerships as transactions more than a declaration of values.
The fracturing of relationships with Middle Eastern partners started under the administration of former President Barack Obama, Schanzer argued, pointing out that American policy in the region started to become inconsistent under his leadership.
"The United States has been operating with a trust deficit in the Middle East since the Arab Spring of 2011," Schanzer said. "The Obama administration went from that policy of supporting chaotic revolution to a policy in 2013 of appeasing Iran, the most destabilizing force in the region."
Making matters worse, American policy in the region became more inconsistent as power in Washington changed from party to party.
"America’s foreign policy has been one of whiplash, with Democrats and Republicans racing to undo the policies of their predecessors," Schanzer said. "It should not be surprising that Middle Eastern states now seek stability, even if that means doing business with China and Russia." 
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Posted by Skidmark 2022-10-18 06:10||
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File under: Tin Hat Dictators, Presidents for Life, & Kleptocrats
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