Mohammed bin Salman, Crowned Prince of Saudi Arabia
Biden Won’t Penalize Saudi Crown Prince Over Khashoggi’s Killing, Fearing Relations Breach
New York Times
In October of 2018, a journalist from the Washington Post, Jamal Khashoggi, was murdered and dismembered in Saudi Arabia. The crowned prince Mohammed bin Salman rejected any accusations of his direct involvement, which Trump later backed, supporting his Saudi Arabian foreign policy agenda. Recently, Biden revealed that American Intelligence discovered that the crowned prince directly approved the murder. However, the Biden Administration will not take action against Saudi Arabia in fear of severing ties, in the midst of China’s high potential of influence in the region.
Above is the third page of the Intelligence Report on Mr. Khashoggi’s murder
There are many critics of Biden’s decision to take a mild stance against Saudi Arabia, but it really plays into the larger motif of being reliant on oil-producing countries. Biden is trying to right former wrongs since he has withdrawn troops from Yemen, however, more needs to be done. The United States is responsible for many humanitarian crises in the Middle East, where they should be apologizing and being held responsible yet there’s no one willing to chastise the greatest military in the world. The imminent threat of being overpowered by other economies is real, but I think morality should be more important than economic benefit.
Do you think that Biden should take a harder stance against Saudi Arabia? If yes, how so?
What should Middle Eastern foreign policy look like?
What role should economic benefit play in allying with countries?
What does this specific event expose about the US’ foreign affairs?
I think that the balance between doing what's right and doing what's most beneficial for the country is often a line that the US and many other powerful nations walk, and too often the US has chosen the more selfish option. While I think hard choices like this are best made not with a general foreign policy but a case by case basis, because in this case it was found that the Crown Prince most likely approved the killing, it's my inclination to say that Biden should take a harder stance. However, from what you're saying about him withdrawing troops in Yemen, I'm guessing that he doesn't want to make too much change or trouble, especially in one region, too close together, as that sounds pretty dangerous. So while of course we all know that the morally sound thing to do is take a harder stance, I think in Biden's case, he has started to pick his battles, and decided to sit this one out as to maintain some level of peace.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's a more nuanced idea than simply what is morally right or wrong, and it's also interesting that he did this in the beginning of his presidency. His campaign really tried to drive home that he would be a moral authority in the world, yet he's reaping the benefits of doing the exact opposite.
DeleteI am critical of Biden's decision to allow the killing of a journalist by the crown prince to go unpunished. I remember hearing about this story in 9th grade and especially disliking Trump's decision response to the murder. I do believe it is good that he released the findings that bin Salman was responsible, though that was already apparent two years ago. However, the limited action on this front, for whatever economic reason, is, to me, indefensible, given the severity of the issue.
ReplyDeleteI understand why Biden made the decision not to do anything, but realistically it has its pros and cons. Personally I think that Biden should've done more to serve justice to Jamal Khashoggi's family, but I can also see why he didn't. He might have not wanted to stir up trouble, as the US is coming out of a "dark patch" he has to look at the country as a whole, and what is the best option for everyone. However, I heard there is a "Khashoggi Ban" in the works which will punish the Saudis on the list. The plan is not solid yet, and half was written under the Trump administration. The Biden administration also argued that the US needs to mend relationships with Saudi Arabia, rather than break it more.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Biden is walking a fine line right now with Saudi Arabia and may not want to stir up any trouble. Since a ban on bin Salman would be a direct attack on the future leader of Saudi Arabia, I'm skeptical if the "Khashoggi Ban" would actually be implemented. It doesn't seem like the Biden Administration wants to do much more than establish SA as suspect, which may lead to a longer term strategy of disengagement.
DeleteYes, Biden should absolutely take a harder stance against Saudi Arabia. Freedom of the press is a first amendment right in America, and while Saudi Arabia isn't America, they shouldn't be our close allies if they commit acts such as this. U.S. policy in the middle east is complicated and I'm not super knowledgeable on the subject. However I think it goes along the lines of "U.S. just unknowingly or knowing messed with something they shouldn't have, send in the drones." Which isn't a good foreign policy, I think we should scale back our military operations in the middle east and focus on more economic and diplomatic approaches to our interests there. The U.S. is the world's largest economy however if the U.S. didn't trade and have economic relations with other countries that would not be the case. If the country is "good" (as in not an oppressive dictatorship) then allying countries through economic ties is fair game. This event highlights what U.S. foreign policy has been since the start of the Cold War. Where we are willing to ally countries that have vastly different ideals than us in order to further our motives in a particular region.
ReplyDeleteI think it says a lot that Biden refuses to take a harsher stance on Saudi Arabia. This is a pattern we've seen in regards to United States relations in the Middle East, with past presidents excusing their inhumane actions time and time again. It's really saddening that our government plays into politics, and gives in to the fear of losing oil in order to cover up a killing of our very own American. It's corrupt and unethical to say the least. It's not just the one killing, as the United States blatantly turns a blind eye to countless human rights violations by Middle Eastern countries (including Saudi Arabia) just to continue receiving oil from them.
ReplyDelete