On Thursday, President Biden said one of the goals of his upcoming trip to the Middle East to to “deepen Israel’s integration in the region” as Israel is hoping to form an anti-Iran alliance in the region with Washington’s Arab allies.
Israel has increased military ties with regional countries as a result of the US-brokered Abraham Accords, which saw Israel normalize relations with the UAE and Bahrain. Saudi Arabia has been hesitant to open up relations with Israel, but the two nations have quietly increased military cooperation.
“Part of the purpose is … is to deepen Israel’s integration in the region, which I think we’re going to be able to do and which is good — good for peace and good for Israeli security,” Biden told reporters at the NATO summit in Madrid. “And that’s why Israel leaders have come out so strongly for my going to Saudi,” he added.
Israel has been lobbying Biden to visit Saudi Arabia and reportedly wants the US’s approval to send Riyadh a new laser missile defense system, known as the Iron Laser. The alliance that Israel is working to build in the region is focused on integrated air defense systems, according to Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz.
While in Saudi Arabia, Biden will attend a summit of the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and will hold separate meetings with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his father, King Salman. Biden said he wouldn’t ask them directly to increase oil production but hopes that they conclude on their own that it makes sense to do so.
French President Emmanuel Macron was overheard on the sidelines of the G7 summit earlier this week telling Biden that Saudi Arabia and the UAE could barely increase their oil production. French officials have also come out in favor of easing sanctions on Iran and Venezuela to get their oil on the market.
Macron understands that the world needs oil from Iran and Venezuela to bring down the price. But I have always assumed that the animosity between Saudi Arabia and Iran is primarily about regulating the amount of oil that OPEC is willing to put on the market at any particular time.
I think that’s a big part of it, but there is also animosity related to their established religions – the Saudis want everyone to acknowledge them as leaders the Islamic religion, and have a lot of hostility towards Iran’s Shia sect. Iran meanwhile take their own superiority over Saudi Bedouins as a given, and view their theocratic constitution as the highest authority in Islam.
What will bring down the price is the Seven Sisters deciding to bring it down. The price of gas started going up during the pandemic in 2020. Some invisible hand does not cause inflation.
Who would have thought that the French would prove to be the most reasonable nation in the EU?
Which is interesting because France was the biggest colonial entity.
The sun set on the French Empire.
Biden is a f*cking maniac. Is his real name Strangelove???
You are my hero for the day!
A better name would be “Kiddielove”.
Let’s go whole hog and have a goal of deepening Iranian integration in the region.
Then we would have peace.MIC don’t want this
One would think that Biden has some work to do here, all he does is campaign for photo ops with foreigners, that is it. Nothing gets accomplished, then he meets Zelensky just to hand over another check and getting his picture taken.
I’d like to give him the a-hole of the year award…
I think we could work out a presentation Donna, as long as it includes the Blinkin’ Idiot as well.
I keep reading these articles implying Biden’s abstract thinking and it occurs to me Biden is simply inept. It might simplify things, if Israel would just provide Biden with a pre-printed itinerary and some basic steps he should take to get things done… Deepen Israel’s “integration” in the Region? As Israel plots and plans for the destruction of others? Holy cow! The Road Map to CHAOS…
It really is starting to resemble the ‘Lord of The Rings’ board game…
Use the same pretty charts Trump needed.
LOL.
Donna, I think that we can both agree that WWIII will begin with Israel.
Will someone please tell me why IsraHell should be the police for a region dominated by Arabs and Muslims? Israel has no place even being there. If the Jews required a homeland, it should have been established in Germany.
But the powers-that -be would NEVER displace white people. So much easier to steamroll the defenseless Palestinians.
Only a fool will bet on Saudi Arabia and Israel. 44 years of failed policy against Iran has not bear any fruits, be smart and negotiate a peace agreement with Iran.
Only Iran’s oil and gas can save Europe at this time and lower the prices globally. With 40 million barrels of oil floating on tankers, this is the best bet for humanity.