Arab News

Is Biden thinking of Americans or only himself?

- FAHED MOHAMMED AL-AHMARI Fahed Mohammed Al-Ahmari is an opinion writer, secretaryg­eneral of the Asbar World Forum and a former Aramco official.

Hearing about fraud, or manipulati­on of electoral results in favor of a candidate, after each election in America is no longer a surprise, though still dangerous, especially accusation­s of external interferen­ce, which is a serious threat to national security.

The US Senate Select Committee on Intelligen­ce’s report regarding Russia’s interferen­ce in the US presidenti­al election in 2016 states that “Russia’s interferen­ce in the integrity of the 2016 US election process, as well as the participat­ion of (former President Donald) Trump and his comrades in this Russian activity, and enabling the same, represents one of the most serious threats to the US national security’s counterint­elligence in the modern era.”

What matters in this context is the news regarding the request submitted by the Biden administra­tion to OPEC+ to postpone the implementa­tion of the oil production reduction decision for a month.

This request comes as part of efforts to influence the US midterm elections in November, which in itself an attempt by the White House to influence American voters using external forces, which brings us back, in my opinion, to the aforementi­oned report condemning the interferen­ce of external forces on the integrity of the US electoral process.

Aren’t we talking here about corruption in the current US administra­tion?

I have listened to the opinions of those who believe that Riyadh better agree to the postponeme­nt request, if it wants to stay on the right side of Washington and avoid sanctions. However, let it be known to everyone that Riyadh rejects all dictates and fears no one.

Furthermor­e, if we assume Riyadh agreed to postpone the implementa­tion of the oil production reduction for a month to satisfy American voters and make them more favorable towards President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party, the Republican­s will not sit back and watch, but instead accuse the Kingdom of working in favor of their rivals.

Whether it implements the decision immediatel­y or in a month, Riyadh will, either way, be blamed.

The right decision is to support the decision of OPEC+, regardless of the accusation­s of the American parties, as well as the legislativ­e and parliament­ary councils, for the general economic interest away from politics.

Another American accusation is related to the claim of supporting Russia’s President Vladimir Putin through the reduction decision, which is likely to increase oil prices. Washington may suspend the sale of American weapons to Saudi Arabia as a result, but in this case, the Kremlin will be the main beneficiar­y, since Riyadh will turn to Moscow, among others, to buy its weapons instead.

This constitute­s a strange contradict­ion in the policy of the White House.

Washington’s postponeme­nt request clearly indicates as well that the goal is 100 percent personal, and it aims to help Biden keep the White House, rather than help American people who will be suffering after November. We can hear the indirect words of President Biden in our heads, “after me, the flood,” inspired by the selfish proverb common at the internatio­nal level.

The right decision is to support the decision of

OPEC+, regardless of the accusation­s of the

American parties, as well as the legislativ­e

and parliament­ary councils, for the general economic interest away

from politics.

 ?? ??

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