Although Senate Majority Leader Chuck Sumer on Tuesday defended Biden’s upcoming meetings with the Saudis, Senate Sen. Dick Darbin – Sumer No. 2 – and other top Democrats are showing their displeasure. Darbin told CNN that he had “concerns” about Biden’s trip and called on the president to change his plans, but that he understood why Biden had decided to attend the visit. “I’m concerned about this. I think the Saudis have shown that they do not share our values. The episode with Kasogi is an international incident of historic proportions. I can not get over it,” Durbin said. . Maintaining energy services for our allies and NATO, by doing something to increase the world’s oil supply, may reduce gasoline prices. All of these things are relevant and important. “But I’m sorry he has to do it with Saudis.” Virginia Sen. Tim Kane, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told CNN that the trip was a “very bad idea.” “His bloodstain has not been cleaned,” Kaine said. “And I understand that conditions are changing. But what is the fundamental issue in the world right now? They are authoritarian … I do not think you can say, ‘Well, conditions are changing.’ “We are sitting with a killer who killed a journalist who lives in Virginia.” I think that is a big mistake. I would meet with others – I would meet with (the) Foreign Minister. I would meet with the Saudi ambassador. I would meet the King, but I would not meet the MBS. ” Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, another member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he had “real concerns,” adding: “I think I need to hear more from the administration to understand what kind of commitments the UK has made. change way “. Durbin’s Republican counterpart, Republican Sen. Whip John Thune of South Dakota, also had problems with the trip, saying, “I wish he could focus on American energy and not have to deal with the successor.” “He was concerned that he would go there in the past for all the obvious reasons. And it seems we have to go to the Saudis with the hat on to increase energy production because we will not do it here – I think it is unfortunate an American president is positioned in this position, “Thune added. There is no doubt that Biden is making the trip to persuade Saudis to pump more crude oil to mitigate the political impact of record US gas prices. His visit also comes as a new crisis approaches with Saudi Arabia’s enemy, Iran, which may soon cross the threshold to build a nuclear bomb. on the brutal assassination of Kasogi, for which the US intelligence services have named the successor to the throne as part of a regional peace initiative. The president will attend a summit with the Gulf Cooperation Council along with Egypt, Jordan and Iraq in Jeddah following his visit to Israel to show support for the Jewish state’s warm relations with its anti-Iranian Arab neighbors. There will be bilateral meetings with King Salman and his team, in which the White House expects to include the Crown Prince. And White House officials have generally said that Biden plans to raise human rights issues with bin Salman and the Saudis during their talks, but have also repeatedly stressed that the president is trying to redirect his relationship with the United States. East. “We do not overlook any behavior that occurred prior to the inauguration of the President,” White House spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre said in a statement on Tuesday. information on the murder of the journalist. . “So, it’s important to emphasize that while we [recalibrate] “We are not seeking to break off relations – but human rights issues, the human rights debate, is something that the President is talking about with many leaders and he plans to do it.” Jean-Pierre also praised Saudi Arabia for being a “strategic partner of the United States for almost 80 years”, adding that “there is no doubt that important interests are intertwined with Saudi Arabia, especially the recent extension of the ceasefire in Yemen. has saved countless lives. ” The 9/11 Families United, an organization made up of the families of those killed in the 9/11 attacks, sent a letter to the President earlier this month urging him to take responsibility for the 9/11 attacks as a top priority. his talks with Saudi officials. National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby told CNN “New Day” on Tuesday that Biden was expected to discuss “a range of human rights issues” with the Crown Prince during the trip, but did not say if any concerns were raised. on 9/9 11 families will be raised during the upcoming talks. And while the Saudis say they will have formal talks with the United States, Kirby declined to comment definitively on the meetings between Biden and the Saudi government, adding that the president would have “many bilateral talks” with the nine leaders. present at the meeting, adding: “And yes, this will definitely include King Salman and his leadership team and we would expect the successor to be part of these discussions.” However, there is no sugar coating. Sometimes presidents have to do things they find unpleasant or hypocritical to promote what they consider to be in the national interest – that is what Biden is doing here. But his visit sends a message to countries like Saudi Arabia that as the United States launches what looks like a new Cold War with China and Russia, repressive behavior is not an obstacle to relations with a president who has set the world on fire. democracy at its heart. Foreign Policy. Biden, for example, praised bin Salman for his “courage” in extending a ceasefire in Yemen. But it was the MBS that started the vicious war that killed thousands of civilians. Thus, Jean-Pierre’s remark on Tuesday that the Saudi move had saved “countless” lives in the country was rather deaf. Once upon a time. But not anymore. CNN’s Maegan Vazquez, Ted Barrett, Manu Raju and Betsy Klein contributed to this report.
