In 2008, President Barack Obama secured an election victory against Republican John McCain, becoming the first African American president in U.S. history. His policy proposals held promise for America, and perhaps the world, but what nobody would have expected was the death and destruction his administration would have brought to the Middle East. Between 2009 and 2015, the Obama Administration carried out 473 drone strikes, by which between 64-116 civilian deaths occurred, and those murdered were only pardoned posthumously. It is estimated that, “If Obama apologizes for 1 civilian drone victim every day, it would take him three years.” Joe Biden, America’s current president, previously Vice President for Barack Obama, often authorized these strikes in the President’s absence, and therefore his inauguration has caused many Middle Eastern and South Asian people to be extremely skeptical over what the region can expect in the next four years.
In fact, although they disagree with his politics, particularly his proclaimed ‘Muslim Ban,’ Middle Easterners all over the world were grateful for many of Donald Trump’s actions in the Middle East, as he brought an end to these constant attacks, and opened diplomatic ties between Israel and countries such as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Notably, President Trump opposed the Obama-Biden administration in their actions, as he slammed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad for his use of chemical weapons against civilians, whereas Biden seemed to view Syrians as complicit in the regime.
Therefore, what did the Middle East expect when Biden, who played an active role in hundreds of civilian deaths, took office this January, and are their biggest fears coming true?
In the month following his inauguration, President Biden ordered retaliatory airstrikes in Erbil in February 2021, targeting Iran-backed militias, where one civilian was killed and a U.S. service member was wounded. John F. Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, spoke with reporters regarding the contentious airstrikes, calling them, “proportionate… conducted together with diplomatic measures.” While many American citizens could take solace in Kirby’s claim that “President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel,” this response was underwhelming for Middle Easterners worldwide, whose hopes for an end to American intervention in their countries were seemingly shattered. Many previous supporters of the President, who favored Biden throughout the campaign trail, have now lost this enthusiasm, and some have found themselves longing for Trump’s relative isolationism.
Perhaps the biggest focus for the coming years of US foreign policy will be Tehran, as geo-political tensions grow with Iran. Biden has actively supported the American reentry to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The JCPOA, or the Iran Nuclear Deal, was reached on July 14th 2015, involving the Islamic Republic of Iran, Germany, and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council in order to attempt to proliferate Iran’s nuclear arsenal. The reentry of America into this deal comes with a price for Iraq, however, as Biden insisted on strict compliance, and advisers to the President stipulated that this is not limited to nuclear aspects. A Former US diplomat asserts that, “the two additions to the deal will include Iran’s terrorist proxies and its ballistic and precision-guided missiles.” The Persian region’s history with the United States is ever more complex, as President Trump’s belief that Iran was too heavily sanctioned will not transcend to the Biden administration, as a director for a Middle Eastern think tank says, “Some may be lifted to get Iran to recommit to a deal, but some need to be left as part of leverage as we try to push Iran to re engage on the JCPOA.” Biden’s focus on the ongoing ‘War on Terror’ is cross-bordered, as foreign policy also involved added pressure on Shia militias in Iraq, which is inherent with his campaign to pressure Iran’s terrorist proxies. In fact, the former VP supported the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, but has since made comments which contradict his past actions. This allows political analysts to conclude a link between Lebanese actions and Iraq, and neither will have a specific policy centered on its interests. Although little action has been taken on this issue since President Biden was sworn in, Biden's initial messages state that counterpart-to-counterpart relations with the United States has signaled that a lack of unified restraint will not be tolerated by the Biden administration.
As for the Gulf Region, just slightly south of the aforementioned countries, the policies proposed are vastly different. The United States maintains ties with many states, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and these have become a point of contention in the government, and even split the Democratic party. The split remains between progressives, alike with VP Harris and Biden's moderates, as the opposition was exposed pre-election. Harris aggressively targeted KSA, whilst Biden viewed Saudi Arabia and the UAE as key economic and political partners. A Biden Senior Advisor deems the Gulf states as necessary allies, claiming, “there is no question we have partners that we need to have a relationship with.” A prominent issue linking Washington, KSA and the UAE has been a heightened focus on the war in Yemen, as all nations express interest in doing so. In relation to this, it was expected that Biden would address progressives in relation to the region’s turbulent history of human rights in the coming months following his inauguration. Overall, a former US diplomat stipulates that, “we [The United States of America] will have a different but constructive relationship with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. You cannot just walk away from them.” Since then, Biden has made it clear that Saudi Arabia should no longer rely on America’s unconditional support.
Moreover, despite the recent easing of tensions between many Gulf states and Israel, there is still a regional disdain for its treatment of the Palestinians, as the IDF army continues to terrorize the citizens. Biden’s VP, Kamala Harris, is infamously pro-Israel, and the Biden administration has said they will not actively work to reverse the controversial decision to relocated the US Embassy to Jerusalem. However, Biden has vowed to reopen the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s mission in Washington D.C., as well as the restoration of aid, both economic and humanitarian, to the Palestinian people. These conflicting opinions leave spectators confused, both also shine glimmers of hope to the security of people of Palestine. Ultimately, following the latest conflicts in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in Palestine, the world was shocked that Biden, who aspires to be a “beacon for the globe” , resisted condemning Israel’s clear violations of international law and human rights. According to the United Nations, Israel’s actions which have come under closer media scrutiny in recent weeks, could constitute a war crime, and yet the President did not condemn the informal annexation and evictions taking place, as over 200 people, including children, were murdered. This leaves many Middle Easterners, especially those with ties to Palestine, disappointed but not surprised by his actions. It appears to many that, although even infamously Pro-Israel presidents have found ways to condemn Israel’s actions, the economic ties between the United States and Israel continue to be prioritized.
In conclusion, the Biden Administration seemed to provide optimism for Americans and the Middle East alike, although it appeared the impending impact was not only unclear but extremely underestimated. From conflicting opinions within the Democratic party, unclear statements from the Office of the President-Elect, and the differences between the new President, and the man he served under, people were apprehensive, but there was no indication of Joe Biden becoming a regional threat after Inauguration day, Middle Easterners, both in the region and beyond. However, after the first six months under the Biden-Harris administration, the region can only help but fear what could be in store for the coming years.
In fact, although they disagree with his politics, particularly his proclaimed ‘Muslim Ban,’ Middle Easterners all over the world were grateful for many of Donald Trump’s actions in the Middle East, as he brought an end to these constant attacks, and opened diplomatic ties between Israel and countries such as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Notably, President Trump opposed the Obama-Biden administration in their actions, as he slammed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad for his use of chemical weapons against civilians, whereas Biden seemed to view Syrians as complicit in the regime.
Therefore, what did the Middle East expect when Biden, who played an active role in hundreds of civilian deaths, took office this January, and are their biggest fears coming true?
In the month following his inauguration, President Biden ordered retaliatory airstrikes in Erbil in February 2021, targeting Iran-backed militias, where one civilian was killed and a U.S. service member was wounded. John F. Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, spoke with reporters regarding the contentious airstrikes, calling them, “proportionate… conducted together with diplomatic measures.” While many American citizens could take solace in Kirby’s claim that “President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel,” this response was underwhelming for Middle Easterners worldwide, whose hopes for an end to American intervention in their countries were seemingly shattered. Many previous supporters of the President, who favored Biden throughout the campaign trail, have now lost this enthusiasm, and some have found themselves longing for Trump’s relative isolationism.
Perhaps the biggest focus for the coming years of US foreign policy will be Tehran, as geo-political tensions grow with Iran. Biden has actively supported the American reentry to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The JCPOA, or the Iran Nuclear Deal, was reached on July 14th 2015, involving the Islamic Republic of Iran, Germany, and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council in order to attempt to proliferate Iran’s nuclear arsenal. The reentry of America into this deal comes with a price for Iraq, however, as Biden insisted on strict compliance, and advisers to the President stipulated that this is not limited to nuclear aspects. A Former US diplomat asserts that, “the two additions to the deal will include Iran’s terrorist proxies and its ballistic and precision-guided missiles.” The Persian region’s history with the United States is ever more complex, as President Trump’s belief that Iran was too heavily sanctioned will not transcend to the Biden administration, as a director for a Middle Eastern think tank says, “Some may be lifted to get Iran to recommit to a deal, but some need to be left as part of leverage as we try to push Iran to re engage on the JCPOA.” Biden’s focus on the ongoing ‘War on Terror’ is cross-bordered, as foreign policy also involved added pressure on Shia militias in Iraq, which is inherent with his campaign to pressure Iran’s terrorist proxies. In fact, the former VP supported the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, but has since made comments which contradict his past actions. This allows political analysts to conclude a link between Lebanese actions and Iraq, and neither will have a specific policy centered on its interests. Although little action has been taken on this issue since President Biden was sworn in, Biden's initial messages state that counterpart-to-counterpart relations with the United States has signaled that a lack of unified restraint will not be tolerated by the Biden administration.
As for the Gulf Region, just slightly south of the aforementioned countries, the policies proposed are vastly different. The United States maintains ties with many states, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and these have become a point of contention in the government, and even split the Democratic party. The split remains between progressives, alike with VP Harris and Biden's moderates, as the opposition was exposed pre-election. Harris aggressively targeted KSA, whilst Biden viewed Saudi Arabia and the UAE as key economic and political partners. A Biden Senior Advisor deems the Gulf states as necessary allies, claiming, “there is no question we have partners that we need to have a relationship with.” A prominent issue linking Washington, KSA and the UAE has been a heightened focus on the war in Yemen, as all nations express interest in doing so. In relation to this, it was expected that Biden would address progressives in relation to the region’s turbulent history of human rights in the coming months following his inauguration. Overall, a former US diplomat stipulates that, “we [The United States of America] will have a different but constructive relationship with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. You cannot just walk away from them.” Since then, Biden has made it clear that Saudi Arabia should no longer rely on America’s unconditional support.
Moreover, despite the recent easing of tensions between many Gulf states and Israel, there is still a regional disdain for its treatment of the Palestinians, as the IDF army continues to terrorize the citizens. Biden’s VP, Kamala Harris, is infamously pro-Israel, and the Biden administration has said they will not actively work to reverse the controversial decision to relocated the US Embassy to Jerusalem. However, Biden has vowed to reopen the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s mission in Washington D.C., as well as the restoration of aid, both economic and humanitarian, to the Palestinian people. These conflicting opinions leave spectators confused, both also shine glimmers of hope to the security of people of Palestine. Ultimately, following the latest conflicts in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in Palestine, the world was shocked that Biden, who aspires to be a “beacon for the globe” , resisted condemning Israel’s clear violations of international law and human rights. According to the United Nations, Israel’s actions which have come under closer media scrutiny in recent weeks, could constitute a war crime, and yet the President did not condemn the informal annexation and evictions taking place, as over 200 people, including children, were murdered. This leaves many Middle Easterners, especially those with ties to Palestine, disappointed but not surprised by his actions. It appears to many that, although even infamously Pro-Israel presidents have found ways to condemn Israel’s actions, the economic ties between the United States and Israel continue to be prioritized.
In conclusion, the Biden Administration seemed to provide optimism for Americans and the Middle East alike, although it appeared the impending impact was not only unclear but extremely underestimated. From conflicting opinions within the Democratic party, unclear statements from the Office of the President-Elect, and the differences between the new President, and the man he served under, people were apprehensive, but there was no indication of Joe Biden becoming a regional threat after Inauguration day, Middle Easterners, both in the region and beyond. However, after the first six months under the Biden-Harris administration, the region can only help but fear what could be in store for the coming years.
