(ORDO NEWS) — The visit of US special representatives to Saudi Arabia was caused by the White House’s attempts to convince Riyadh to increase oil production, writes Haqqin. However, Biden is unlikely to be able to negotiate with those whom he promised not so long ago to make “outcasts.”
White House Middle East Coordinator Brett McGurk and State Department Energy Envoy Amos Hochstein made a secret visit to Riyadh this week.
Why was it necessary to declare the visit secret, if the entire Middle East knew about it a day later – it is known only in the White House and the State Department. Although, perhaps, this was done to hide from Biden’s fellow party members humiliated attempts to negotiate with someone whom the American president promised to make a “rogue” not so long ago.
And the purpose of the visit was clear to everyone from the very beginning. A possible agreement on the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel – that’s right, talk in favor of the poor. The Israelis and the Saudis may well come to an agreement directly, especially since such a dialogue is already underway – and is more successful than the negotiations between Riyadh and Tehran …
Oil, oil and once again oil, or rather, the increase in its production by the Saudis, that was the main thing in this visit. Biden’s policy of strangling the American oil industry was a complete success. US oil production is less than it was in March 2020, before the pandemic began. At the same time, the cost of gasoline beats all records, and in the summer, a shortage of diesel fuel is also expected.
American oilmen have no opportunity to increase production. There are not enough pipelines, the construction of which is blocked by the Biden administration, there is no opportunity to develop new fields – the White House, seriously crazy on the environmental agenda, does not issue permits.
In America, they are outraged that other countries are trying to buy oil from Russia with might and main, taking advantage of the fact that it is sold at an unprecedented discount. India alone imported as much Russian oil in March as it did in half of last year – and is ready to take the same amount. Come on – it’s cheaper. In addition, it is still unknown how long this bacchanalia will last, and when this magical “freebie” will collapse.
Not everyone is ready to join the ranks of the losers in the energy crisis – but the United States under Biden is unlikely to be among the winners. He can only humbly ask those whom he was going to make outcasts yesterday for an increase in production and import volumes.
During the election campaign, Biden’s political technologists launched the topic that he is just a guru of diplomacy, the owner of invaluable experience and connections in the Middle East. Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, and Muhammad bin Zeid, who recently inherited the post of ruler of the UAE, took very little time to bust this myth. It was enough not to pick up the phone several times when Biden tried to get through.
In the East – a long memory. Neither the Saudis nor the Emirates have forgotten all the humiliation and hostility that the Democrats did against them under Obama and Biden. They have not forgotten either the ambiguous position of the Americans on Yemen, or the first deal on Iran’s nuclear dossier, which did not take into account their interests at all, or how the Americans exposed their air defense system, suddenly withdrawing all Patriot complexes from their territory, and only now returning them back. Moreover, they have not forgotten what was said about them in Washington.
It’s time to pay the bills. And the Gulf monarchies are very eager to know how big this payment will be from the US side. Apparently, what America is ready to offer them does not suit them at all. They are waiting for more – and are ready to bargain with Biden until he gives in to them.
After all, there is only one rule in the eastern political bazaar – who will outbid whom. And Biden is now in no position to dictate his terms. He can only ask.
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