Yet that may get Biden only so far given the changing nature of the politics of Israel within the Democratic Party. Weapons sales and security guarantees for Saudi Arabia, in particular, may become more palatable to Congress as Israel becomes further normalized into the region. As for Iran, progressives on Capitol Hill still want a return to the nuclear deal despite Iran’s obstreperousness in negotiations and destabilizing activity in the region. However, a new security commitment that includes weapons sales will require congressional assent - and Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt are unpopular among Democrats for their terrible track records on human rights and other transgressions. They’d like to see an end to the Iran negotiations and they’re eager for the opportunity to purchase American weapons. lead, but they’re looking for more than just words from President Biden. Today, Israel and the Arab leaders are willing to have the U.S. The Arab states and Israel also recoiled at American efforts to forge a new relationship with Iran through the 2015 nuclear deal. policies were advancing the political prospects of Islamists. Its previous efforts to promote democratic change in the region - in Iraq, Egypt, Palestine, Libya and Afghanistan, among other places - fueled fears among its partners that heavy-handed U.S. And they’ve done it not because of the United States but, rather, despite it. Saudis, Emiratis, Bahrainis (and to a lesser extent, Egyptians and Jordanians) have already forged a consensus on regional threats with their former adversaries the Israelis. Making matters worse, it is hard to understand why this trip is even necessary.Īmong the items on the president’s agenda while he is in Saudi Arabia is to advance regional security and cooperation. His visit to the region this week undercuts both those claims. Once in office, the president declared that American values would be central to his foreign policy. During the 2020 campaign, his advisors made it clear that a Biden administration would de-emphasize the Middle East. In President Biden’s case, however, it remains unclear why he is traveling to Israel, Palestine and Saudi Arabia this week. There were often important reasons for these trips, whether it was visiting troops in the field, forging peace, soliciting support to fight terrorism or shoring up the American-led order in the region. Bush and Donald Trump traveled there the fewest times - four visits each. Over the last 30 years, American presidents have visited the Middle East a total of 56 times.