On Friday, President Biden tried to downplay his heavily criticized plans to hold talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by saying he will meet with the de facto ruler as part of a broader “international meeting.”
Biden made the comments when asked how he will handle the Saudi killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi when he visits Saudi Arabia next month. “The same way I’ve been handling it,” he told reporters.
“I’m not going to meet with MBS. I’m going to an international meeting. And he’s going to be a part of it, just like there were people part of the discussion today,” Biden added.
During his visit to Saudi Arabia, which will be part of a regional tour from July 13-16, Biden will be attending a summit of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders that MbS is expected to attend. But US officials confirmed to CBS News that Biden will also hold a separate meeting with MbS and one with his father, King Salman.
The Saudis said in a statement that Biden and MbS will “will hold official talks that will focus on various areas of bilateral cooperation and joint efforts to address regional and global challenges, exploring cooperation on emerging technologies, economic investment, space, renewable energy, cybersecurity, climate and environmental initiatives, food and energy security, and expanding trade and commercial ties to enable both countries to confront mutual challenges and seize the opportunities of the 21st century.”
The meeting is expected to be focused on oil output as Americans are facing soaring gas prices. Biden has banned the import of Russian oil over its invasion of Ukraine while turning to Saudi Arabia for help, a country that has been waging a brutal war against Yemen since 2015 with US backing.
A ceasefire in Yemen has been holding relatively well. Saudi airstrikes haven’t been reported in over two months, although there is still some violence on the ground and a dire humanitarian situation.
Biden has said his visit to Saudi Arabia is also about Israel’s security, as the Israelis are hoping to increase military cooperation with the Gulf states against Iran.
Caitlin Johnstone:
“MBS should be ashamed of meeting with [warmongering] Amerikkkan president ByeDone.”
So, yes, Biden says he’s not meeting with MbS but everyone else says he is. How is he supposed to remember stuff like that in his condition? Give the guy a break. Let’s just hope he doesn’t try to get MbS to vote for him.
People of Biden’s demographic can have a difficult enough time with reality even when they’re not trying to spin it. We can only speculate what Orwellian senior gaffs await.
Ted:
Does this mean I could get more money back on my tax return?….
In all seriousness, maybe it’s time to put an age limit into place…
In other words, MBS wiill not meet with him. Biden is inviting himself to GCC meeting that happens to be in Saudi Arabia. Very likely he will have an audience with King. But I cannot see in what format van he meet with MBS. Biden has a history of loose lips, and this is bounding him in parts of the world where words matter.
Kashoggi murder trial is yet to take place, as Turkey justt transfered trial obligations to Saudi Arabia. Saudis held them from the day videos were provided. Anyone whoo cares to know, the loyaltiies of assasins are clear. And iit is the deposed American favorite, crown prince MBNayef.
Biden himself collaborated with MBN for years, before becoming crown prince in 2015. The miment he became crown prince a sustained media campaign here was launched describing King as “senile” or afflicted by Alzheimers. In a transparent attempt to hasten MBN ascendance to throne. MBN launched war in Yemen
and the most attrocious destruction came unnder his
rule (2015-2017), he cut off trade with Qatar, and roped Egypt and Sudan into alliance. Under his rule, and before during his reign over Interior Ministry and
Intelligence, IS in Iraq and Syria was established. He collaboorated with then PM Cameron and President Obama in 2012-13. CIA gave him George Tennet medal.
After an incident in 2021, after returning from Canada trip, he has been arrested, charged with conspiracy to
topple government.
This is the background of Kashoggi murder, a theathrical cruelty to a buman being just to set up MBN for Western condemnation, the joint frans-Atlantic volubiliy has not slowed down.
The whole world gets it — but we want “our” truth.
Saudis cut a separate cease fire deal with Zaidi Yemen
(Houthis), and this is rankling Biden and neocons. With
South under UAE control, US plans for the control of Bab Al-Mandeb suddenly in question.
The military Biden just sent to fight non-existent AQAP or long defunded ISIS — is ridiculous. We shall find soon enough what plans exist for scuttling peace efforts.
Did someone (Israel) snap the whip?!
LOL saudi prince = secret super gay boys pretend that they aren’t gay by throwing openly gays off of tall buildings. bestest friends with trump family but biden just can’t seem to get his foot in that royal door.