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Biden tells Middle East leaders the U.S. 'is not going anywhere'
President Joe Biden looked to reassure Middle Eastern leaders on Saturday that the U.S. would continue to be heavily involved in the region as it looks to
Politics
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — President Joe Biden looked to reassure Middle Eastern leaders on Saturday that the U.S. would continue to be heavily involved in the region as it looks to counter growing influence from China, Russia and Iran.
"The United States is not going anywhere," the president said during a summit with Gulf state leaders Saturday in Saudi Arabia.
“We will not walk away to leave a vacuum to be filled by China, Russia or Iran. We will seek to build on this moment with active, principled American leadership," he said.
Biden sought to set expectations during his series of meetings with Middle East leaders about the role he envisions for the U.S. in the region, senior administration officials said. He noted that his visit to the Middle East is the first by an American president in 20 years when the U.S. hasn’t had troops engaged in a combat mission there.
In remarks to the Gulf leaders, Biden also raised the issue of human rights, an issue about which fellow Democrats have been pushing him to be more forceful. He told the group the "future will be won" by nations where citizens can "question and criticize leaders without fear of reprisal."
"I've gotten plenty of criticism over the years, it's not fun — but the ability to speak openly, exchange ideas freely is what unlocks innovation," Biden said.
The president met one-on-one with the heads of Egypt, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates before attending a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Following the meetings, he is scheduled to fly back to Washington.