Biden Meets With Arab Gulf Countries; Saudi Arabia Says Cannot Greatly Increase Oil Production
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia—President Joe Biden, speaking at a summit of Arab leaders, said Saturday that the United States “will not walk away” from the Middle East as he tries to ensure stability in a volatile part of the world and boost the global flow of oil to reverse rising gas prices.
His remarks, delivered at the Gulf Cooperation Council on the final leg of a four-day Middle East tour, came amid concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and support for terrorists in the region.
“We will not walk away and leave a vacuum to be filled by China, Russia, or Iran,” Biden said. “We will seek to build on this moment with active, principled, American leadership.”
Although U.S. forces continue to target terrorists in the region and remain deployed at bases throughout the Middle East, Biden suggested he was turning a page after the U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Today, I’m proud to be able to say that the era of land wars in the region, wars that involved huge numbers of American forces, is not under way,” he said.
Biden announced $1 billion U.S. aid in food security assistance for the Middle East and North Africa. He also pressed his counterparts to ensure human rights and allow their citizens to speak openly.
“The future will be won by the countries that unleash the full potential of their populations,” Biden said, and that includes allowing people to “question and criticize leaders without fear of reprisal.”
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, convened the summit, which gave him an opportunity to showcase his country’s heavyweight role in the Mideast. Biden, who attended the summit, is eager to see Saudi Arabia and its OPEC partners pump more oil to help bring down the high cost of gasoline and
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