In a stunning turn of fortunes, not unexpected but hard to digest all the same, China is wading into the Middle East – aiming to replace the United States top ally, market, peacemaker, and influence. The latest effort, indulged by all, is letting China take credit for reopening of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. For 60 years, America led in the region – Biden is fast killing that legacy.
In truth, many countries in the Middle East talk and trade often with each other, including Arab countries with Israel, and they have for decades. That said, the region is a hotbed of sectarian conflict, with terrorist organizations deeply rooted in places like Iran and Syria – and one nation, Iran sprinting for nuclear weapons, which would in turn set off an arms race across the region, destabilizing the world.
So, that is where we are, and that is why President Trump – and virtually every president before him back to at least Richard Nixon – endeavored to advance peace, if only incrementally. Where Trump pressed the Abraham Accords, using a bilateral model to grow consensus, others tried region-wide models, conferences, and accords, some Israeli-Egyptian, others Israeli-Palestinian, all a labor.
The main point, however, in the interests of greater potential peace for this war-torn region, has been to keep that labor – for regional and all humanity – alive.
Long before the Gulf Wars and after them, the United States served as a peace broker, from Secretaries of State like Henry Kissinger, George Schultz, Cy Vance, Jim Baker, Madeleine Albright, and Colin Powell – to Presidents Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush, and even Obama, the goal – even before Trump – was to prioritize peacemaking, and work to tamp down conflict, modeling democracy.
Now, that whole dynamic is changing. American leadership has been vital in the region, a combination of recognizing cultural differences, pressing for change that helped advance individual liberties, and gradually building credibility as Arab nations fell away from the Soviet Union, including Egypt and others.
Under Carter, Reagan, Bush 41, and up through Bush 43, America was viewed as a reliable ally, trading partner, and source of national and regional security – with strong relationship across the Arab world back 60 years, or longer. That has been especially so with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, UAE, Egypt, Bahrain, and others.
Then came Obama– Biden, a team that talked peace, but indulged – and was used by – Iran, a terrorist-promoting nation hungry for sectarian advantage, seethed with hatred toward Israel and the United States, anxious to gain leverage, and eventually dominance, in the region.
Obama-Biden paid Iran enormous sums of money for nothing, allowing them to ink an accord that effectively offered tacit permission for Iran to build a nuclear weapon in the future if they would slow down now, and then – as predicted by most experts – Iran blew off much of the accord, kept working.
Now we come to this moment, when – after a genuine shift by Trump, one that penalized Iran, slowed their nuclear program, sanctioned their economy, and put them back on their heels, while also pushing bilateral peace accords around the region – we see the reverse under Biden-Harris.
Not only did Biden-Harris try to restart the morally bankrupt, dangerous Obama-Biden nuclear deal with Iran, they dropped the bilateral accord momentum like a hot rock, since it was a Trump-Pence idea.
Then Biden took it a step further. After crippling US fossil fuel production and transport – opening the market to foreign domination – he went on bent knee to Saudi for oil. He did this after vilifying them on the world stage as a cultural violator of human rights.
Like someone reading the book backwards on how to properly negotiate, Biden dismantled what Trump and other administrations had done to build up US influence, credibility, and strength in this region.
So embarrassing and fundamentally inept was Biden’s approach – that he tried again to bribe Iran to ink a document, knowing they would cheat. He demonized Saudi Arabia, despite a major shift our way. He offended most of America’s Arab allies, then cozied up to China, forgiving them horrific human rights abuses, a mere “cultural difference.” He invited Putin to make a “minor incursion” into Ukraine.
He then went back to Saudi and asked them for oil, then to cut production. They could not take him seriously, a buffoon who indulged their enemies, insulted them, and spun. They would not even take his call. America’s former allies – effectively laughed at Biden.
Is it any wonder, then, that we are where we are? China – which Biden gives a free pass to on everything from COVID to trade and military aggression – is moving into the void. Who can blame them? China is a ruthless communist nation that wants America’s position in the Middle East, as the Soviets once did. That is why that just “brokered” – actually were permitted by Iran and Saudi – a resumption of ties.
Is it good that Saudi and Iran are on better diplomatic terms? Sure. Better is always good, but what is really happening is that China is angling to wholly replace the United States as the leading credible influence and force for all purposes in the Mideast. The real question, then, is where is Biden?
America has been a force for good in that region – developed it, helped it prosper, and has kept the peace, as allies migrated toward greater freedom, equality, and tighter relations. All that is at risk now. Someone needs to tell Biden to wake up – because China is “eating our lunch” and our allies’ too.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC.
Well RBC, China has been expanding into all parts of the world for well over the past decade. The Middle East is merely the most recent and visible example of their growing global influence. You don’t replace the United States on the world stage by ignoring the weakness being demonstrated by the current U.S. administration. You take advantage of it and fill the power vacuum left in the wake of a stumbling, bumbling, grossly incompetent U.S. State Department led by Obama era holdovers and leftist sympathizers. All under the stunningly bad leadership of Team Biden in the White House. Which is all President Xi, CCP and China as a whole did in the case of the Middle East.
First Biden intentionally crippled the United States in terms of domestic energy production, making us once again dependent on OPEC and a number of our adversaries. Then he repeatedly alienated and antagonized Saudi Arbia out of one side of his mouth, while demanding and then begging for oil from the Saudis from the other side of his mouth. His State Department, led by Blinken who has never demonstrated any real skill at obtaining a favorable outcome for the United States in any foreign dealings, goes crawling back to the Mullahs in Iran trying to reinstate the one-sided Iran Nuclear Deal to rescue Obama’s lone foreign policy win over 8 years in office. All while Team Biden completely butchers the Afghanistan withdrawal and abandoning both Americans and friendly Afghans to the tender mercies of the Taliban, along with billions of dollars in brand new American weapons and the largest military airbase in the region next to China. That’s just a brief synopsis of one area of the world that Team Biden has screwed up in a little over 2 years in office. There are of course many other examples I could offer.
So China is merely taking advantage of the incredible opportunities that the Biden administration, not unlike the Obama administration, has provided for China to step into. Yes, China is indeed “eating our lunch” on the foreign stage all around the world, while this administration remains fixated on absurd things domestically to further weaken our country. You end with the call for someone to tell Biden to “wake up”, but honestly when the administration doesn’t even view China as a threat on any level, you can’t expect them to be willing to change course on anything. While China continues to expand all around the world, our fearless and feckless Commander in Chief is focused like a laser on which flavor of ice cream he will have this afternoon. You can’t expect competent leadership from an administration of people that have never demonstrated any of the required traits and skills necessary to competently execute their roles.
I don’t disagree with anything you’ve said, I just don’t think any of the people in the current administration have the necessary desire, skillsets or competencies to do anything to counter the push from China on the global stage.
They are allowing Chinese Communists to come across our Southern borders right now at McAllen Texas!
China has slowly infiltrated many countries in Africa and has bought businesses or started businesses. It has bought strategic ports all over the world. They can interrupt supply chains at the drop of a hat. They have great influence in South America. Plus also have bought land in America close to our rocket silos. They also own many businesses in America. This Middle East meddling is only an extension of their influence in the world. Under Brandon it is becoming more open to the public and China has stepped up their influence buying everywhere.
And Brandon doesn’t lift a finger. See what 30 million can buy.
Setting up bases etc
Jared Kushner and his brother/family are in the business of making money on hedge funds, brokers, and other parts of financial institutions. The Epoch agreement will provide their families with greater wealth than we’re told.
Benjamin’s baby. It’s all about the Benjamin
Excellent article.
We have DICTATOR Beijing biden to thank for Communist China buddying up with the Middle East.
NEVER would have happened with
President Trump.
Biden could have promoted domestic oil production, and the US could have increased its ability to control inflation and strengthen the US dollar. The US could have exported oil to needy countries in Europe. Biden could have remained tough with Iran. Biden could have made a well planned out withdrawal from Afghanistan. Instead, the entire world, including the Mid East, now sees a weak and feckless fake president who destroys everything he touches. Of course, the Mid East becomes fair game for the imperialist Communist Chinese. President Trump knew how to use his power and keep the miscreant nations, China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, in check. Biden seems to be purposely destroying the United States, creating an immense world stage power vacuum. All Biden had to do was follow President Trump’s lead, but Biden is a demented fool who has no business being our commander in chief.
We are no longer spiralling around the drain, we’ve already gone down and clawing one’s way back out would take a serious fight.
It makes me sick to my stomach when I think of how Biden Admin. is destroying America. I had a brother that fought & got killed in WWII and an Uncle in WWI, also. They both did it for our Country!! What’s Biden’s aim??? It definitely has to do with MONEY!!!
To all the good people whose hair is on fire about the communist Chinese, wake up. We already have a quasi communist system in place. It’s known as International Central Banking! The Federal Reserve is subservient to the Bank for International Settlements. All wars have been bankers wars since at least the American Revolution. Who do you think funded the Napoleonic invasion of Russia in 1812?
It is imperative that we get behind and support every politician that threatens to put the brakes on in DC. The current administration is filled with nothing but perverts and parasites as the communist inspired biden crime family and it’s enablers are sweeping the country for more moron support.
The infection of our media, both the news(SIC) and entertainment venues are nothing but bullhorns for the hores that want to see the successful implementation of the ONE GLOBAL GOVERNMENT.. Make no mistake our tiny nation along with just a very few other folks around the globe are the resistance .. The Brits were compromised soon after WWII, now the Aussies have fallen – Germany exists in the middle of a sea of wimps like the Scandanavians who everyone who has no intellect keep suggesting are so brilliant with how they missed combat in WWII and are a great with socialism.. works if you became the bankers for the nazis and stored their stolen art treasures .. the middle east ? Israel is turmoil now due to leftist infection and is there a country in the middle east that thinks the USA is a hero ?? no not today.. the democrats in 1973 took care of that as the world watched our politicians throw the South Vietnamese under the communist bus after years and millions of dollars and millions of lives wasted to stop what ? COMMUNISTS… get it together America, those bastardos WANT TO CONTROL EVERYBODY not just some backward hell hole in some backward country like africur where other vicious morons have been murdering people simply due to their beliefs ..
Welcome to the march toward Armageddon. Can anyone that loves America doubt Joe Biden is leading this nation to hell?
When nation A attacks nation B, its reasonable to expect nation B to know it. The Chi-coms have
continuously attacked the US for the last 4 years and the US dosen’t know it. We are sitting here worried about the Chi-coms military might when they have defeated the US already without firing a shot. Will we wake up ? I doubt it.
We cannot wish it away. FDR tried to wish away the Nazis but finally had to turn us into a war
machine. Todays war is about deception and technology ( not military) and we are getting our
asses handed to us. So hello US . Welcome to the your Chi-com masters. They have 80+% of the worlds wealth because they supply virtually all that we consume and pay dirt prices to their own people for it. That’s a huge profit margin to spend kicking the worlds butt.
I think the China Commies will meet with similar results when and if they try to take over ruling the Middle East Muslim Nations. Russia coldn’t get it done … and I think the Chinks will not be successful either.
China is an aggressor Communist governed Nation, It must steal or otherwise take from external Nartions resources to cover up the stealing it is pulling off against its governed population to avoid aggressive responses from its rule population. And China, like WWII Nazi Germany, they need to steal from other Nations (like the Nazi’s did against Poland and its predominant Jewish population). With China it is imperative that “trust but verify without exception” in dealing with the Chicoms. Frankly, I truly believe this Nation would prosper by NOT dealing with China in any form of commerce … and disallowing any Chinese personnel from being in this country (excepting a minimal number of diplomats for the UN). China is like a locust horde in the World’s population … and being Communistic in governance, is a subtle lurking danger to all other countries in the World.
Biden is fast killing everything. I hope the hard core socialist/democrats like Chinese food.