Biden says US 'will not walk away' from Middle East
The Hindu
President Joe Biden has told Arab leaders that the United States “will not walk away” from the Middle East
President Joe Biden, speaking at a summit of Arab leaders, said Saturday that the United States “will not walk away” from the Middle East as he tries to ensure stability in a volatile part of the world and boost the global flow of oil to reverse rising gas prices.
His remarks, delivered at the Gulf Cooperation Council on the final leg of a four-day Middle East tour, came amid concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions and support for militants in the region.
“We will not walk away and leave a vacuum to be filled by China, Russia or Iran,” Mr. Biden said. "We will seek to build on this moment with active, principled, American leadership.”
Although U.S. forces continue to target terrorists in the region and remain deployed at bases throughout the Middle East, Mr. Biden suggested he was turning a page after the U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Today, I’m proud to be able to say that the era of land wars in the region, wars that involved huge numbers of American forces, is not under way,” he said.
He announced $1 billion in U.S. aid to alleviate hunger in the region and he pressed his counterparts, many of whom lead repressive governments, to ensure human rights, including women's rights, and allow their citizens to speak openly.
"The future will be won by the countries that unleash the full potential of their populations," Mr. Biden said, and that includes allowing people to “question and criticize leaders without fear of reprisal.”