The American president met the Saudi crown prince in Djedda, despite his promise to treat him in pariah after the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He has not obtained any guarantee as to an increase in the global oil supply.
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“If you want to get something in the Middle East, you cannot ignore Saudi Arabia.” The formula, taken up like a mantra by editorialists and commentators of the Saudi kingdom for years, has taken a particular relief Tour of the twenty-four hour visit made by Joe Biden, Friday July 15 and Saturday July 16.
The American president left after a summit in Djedda during which he assured nine heads of state of the region – the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait , Bahrain), as well as Egypt, Jordan and Iraq – that his country “would not turn away” from the Middle East, leaving “a void that could fill China, Russia or Iran”.
The Gulf States remain doubtful compared to the long-term commitments of the United States, which they no longer consider as a reliable bulwark against their Iranian rival. The Biden administration has in fact concentrated most of its energy in terms of foreign policy to face China, then Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Washington has since been looking to compensate for its disengagement by an “Israeli umbrella” which would see the Hebrew State to put its military and technological power available to states ready to ally itself and join an emerging regional defense alliance against Tehran .
No recognition of Israel by Saudi Arabia
The result seems to be mixed out of this visit. Riyadh has decided to stick to informal relations with Tel Aviv for the moment when the United Arab Emirates use a much more prudent rhetoric than their new Israeli ally vis-à-vis Iran.
The face-to-face between the American president and the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Ben Salman, known as “MBS”, was, he, he, particularly expected. While he had promised to treat the Saudi crown prince in “pariah” after the journalist’s assassination and Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, the US head of state had to deny himself.
When he arrived at the White House, Joe Biden, who said he was determined to break with the complacency towards the autocrats practiced by Donald Trump, did not hide his enmity towards “MBS”, which was appointed by the CIA as The Donor of the Assassins of the journalist in the enclosure of the Saudi Arabia Consulate in Istanbul.
The American president had even refused to meet, and even to speak, to the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia. This resolution ended on Friday. If the two men discussed the case, according to officials from the two countries, the conversation has given rise to reports significantly different sides of American and Saudi.
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