President Biden
Joe BidenFeds investigates Cuomo’s handling of nursing home outbreaks Night Defense: One-third of service members decline coronavirus vaccine | Biden to take executive action in response to Wind Winds hack The United States and Japan reach a cost-sharing agreement On The Money: Biden faces left-wing backlash on student loans Where things stand to measure relief of COVID-19 | Retail sales bounce MORE is shifting the U.S. approach to Saudi Arabia, moving away from the priority diplomatic access granted to certain Saudi officials during the Trump administration, which gave the kingdom a prominent role in North American politics. American Middle East.
Biden is expected to speak at some point with King Salman of Saudi Arabia, noting a decline in relations with the kingdom’s day-to-day ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a large figure on the scene. world.
The emphasis Biden will communicate with the Saudi king, an action described by the White House press secretary Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiOn The Money: Biden faces left-wing backlash over student loans Where are things to the extent of COVID-19 relief | Retail Sales Bounce Overnight Health Care: Biden Officials Announce Funding to Track Virus Variants | Senate Dems presents a public option proposal | White House: No need for vaccines for teachers for schools to reopen Harris, says teachers should be given priority for COVID-19 vaccine MORE as an effort to “recalibrate” the relationship between Washington and Riyadh, it indicates that the president is taking steps toward his commitment to confront Riyadh more strongly for his human rights abuses while working together on shared goals.
“There’s a change in tone and substance,” said Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “Not 180 degrees. I still think they’re trying to figure out exactly how to define it, but it’s clear there’s a re-evaluation underway.”
The Crown Prince played a prominent role in bringing the Trump administration closer to the Middle East, reportedly exchanging WhatsApp messages with former White House senior adviser and son-in-law of Trump Jared Kushner
Jared Corey Kushner LIVE COVERAGE: Democrats focus on Trump’s statements before the attack on the Kushner Capitol, Ivanka Trump reported up to 0 million in foreign revenue during the White House years Can Palestine matter again? MONTH, helping to pave the way for Abraham’s agreements, opening up relations between Israel and the Gulf and African nations.
But the Crown Prince also alienated Washington for his alleged role in ordering the assassination and dismemberment of U.S.-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in October 2018.
Trump remarkably downplayed the role of the Crown Prince in Khashoggi’s assassination in an effort to maintain strong bilateral ties, and wrote in an extraordinary statement that “maybe yes and maybe no” he was aware of the plot against the journalist he wrote for the Washington Post.
Director of National Intelligence at Biden, April Haines
April Haines: Biden Wexton and Speier Cabinet Opportunity Call for Renewal of Approval Process to Examine Extremist Views Hillicon Valley: Senators Express Concern over Response to Russian Pirate | Huawei makes a legal move Twitter sees increased user growth MORE, has pledged to declassify U.S. intelligence report on Khashoggi’s death concluded Crown Prince Muhammad personally ordered the murder.
Biden administration officials have welcomed the Trump-era Abraham Accords as a positive development, but have already taken steps to back U.S. support for Saudi actions seen as contributions to the atrocities of the United States. human rights.
“We know this Saudi [Arabia] is an important partner on many fronts; Regional security, counter-terrorism are just two of them, “State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a briefing with reporters Wednesday.
“At the same time, the strategic partnership must reflect and be respectful of the values we bring to the table and our interests, and the American people expect U.S. policy toward Riyadh to prioritize the rule of law, the respect for human rights “. ”
Biden has put human rights at the forefront of its foreign policy agenda, ending U.S. support for the Saudi-led offensive on neighboring Yemen and ending relevant arms sales.
His decision to reverse a last-minute measure by the Trump administration to qualify Yemeni-backed Houthis as a terrorist organization was welcomed by advocacy groups as a step back from a catastrophic humanitarian disaster in Yemen.
There is also bipartisan support in Congress to make Saudi Arabia more responsible for its human rights abuses, such as the assassination of Khashoggi and the number of civilian deaths and the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
Democrats have called on Biden to confront Riyadh over allegations that the Saudi government helped its citizens accused of crimes in the U.S. flee the country to avoid justice.
“The Saudi government has given a lot to its critics to work with,” said Hussein Ibish, senior resident academic at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, “and even the people who support the relationship should to say that the Saudi government needs to do better, especially in terms of human rights. “
Riyadh was preparing a tougher stance on the part of the Biden administration. On the campaign trail, Biden called Saudi Arabia a “pariah” and promised a stronger hand in relations.
The kingdom took a series of measures that regional experts felt were trying to get out in the face of criticism from the Biden administration. Last month, Riyadh eased the blockade against Qatar that was imposed at the start of the Trump administration.
Saudi’s treatment of arrested activists also draws attention as gestures of goodwill from the kingdom. This includes last month’s decision to reduce the prison sentence of imprisoned American Saudi doctor Walid al-Fitaihi and the release of Saudi Americans Bader al-Ibrahim and Salah al-Haider pending trial. Human rights groups have criticized his arrests as efforts to stifle critical discourse with Saudi policies.
In addition, prominent women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul was released from a Saudi prison after being convicted of terrorism charges. Critics said his more than 1,000-day detention was politically motivated, and al-Hathloul told his family he had suffered torture and sexual abuse.
Other moves include Riyadh’s efforts to edit its school textbooks and learning materials to eliminate positive references to religious violence, extremism, and intolerance, especially anti-Semitism. The kingdom recently announced judicial reforms to codify its laws more in line with international standards.
“I think that’s the Saudi way of saying, ‘We still value the relationship’ with the United States,” Satloff said, adding that the Biden administration and Saudi Arabia are “moving toward having, which I he likes to think, it’s a complete, discreet dialogue about it. “
In matters of shared interest, the Biden administration is strengthening its commitment to Riyadh’s defense capabilities against cross-border attacks by Houthis.
“We will not allow Saudi Arabia to be a target practice,” U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Timothy Lenderking said Tuesday.
The administration has prioritized the resolution of the conflict in Yemen and boxing in Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons as its main urgent foreign policy concerns, areas where Saudi Arabia is a central partner and invested.
“Maintaining good relations with the Gulf countries is really important for other policies to work,” said Ibish of the Golf Institute.
“Both scores, the Saudis will be key players: direct direct players in Yemen and key indirect players in Iran.”
Relations between Washington and Riyadh were strained during the Obama administration, when Biden was vice president, over what the Saudis considered blinded by the United States’ search for a nuclear deal with Iran, the Action Plan Integral Joint of 2015.
Regional experts say the Biden administration is unlikely to make the same mistake of freezing Riyadh out of the talks.
“We kept a secret negotiation with Iran out of competition from regional allies, these days they are gone,” Satloff said.
“I think we want to have a negotiation in which we are in full consultation with our regional allies and they are on board as much as we can get.”