On Friday, Biden met with Saudi Arabia crown prince Jamal Khashoggi to request more oil production, amid the rising US oil and gas prices.
While Biden seemed optimistic after the meeting, Saudi officials dismissed any possibility of increasing oil production on Biden’s demands.
Biden Begged for More Oil from Saudi Crown Prince
Following the meeting, Biden noted Saudi Arabia is likely to take “further steps” in order to increase oil supply in the “coming weeks.”
Biden further stated that he is doing “all [he] can” to increase crude oil supplies with the help of Saudi Arabia.
According to Biden, US consumers will start to feel the effects of his meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince in “another couple of weeks” when prices will tumble at the Petrol stations.
While Biden added that Saudi Arabia “shares that urgency” to increase oil production, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir suggested otherwise.
After the meeting, Al-Jubeir asserted “oil is not a political weapon.” The kingdom will continue to reassess the demand for the oil in the global market and will only release it if the global oil market faces a shortage.
The joint statement released by Saudi Arabia did not mention that the kingdom agreed to release more oil into the market. Instead, the statement noted both countries have “renewed their commitment” to stabilize the global energy markets.
U.S. AND SAUDI ARABIA REITERATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE STABILITY OF GLOBAL ENERGY MARKETS – JOINT STATEMENT CARRIED BY SAUDI STATE NEWS AGENCY
Biden: This is a total success
MBS: We signed a piece of paper that says and means absolutely nothing, but was good for some LULZ
— Quoth the Raven (@QTRResearch) July 15, 2022
As various stakeholders gave differing statements after the Biden-MBS meeting, the global oil price rose by 2% on Friday.
Many analysts suggest the meeting was not expected to bring any significant breakthrough in the first place.
According to George W. Bush’s former adviser and the head of the Rapidan Energy Group, Bob McNally, the odds for Saudi Arabia to increase production due to Biden’s visit were always low.
He also noted Biden is now requesting the same person to increase the oil supply, a person whom he has previously called a “pariah” after the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The U.S. says MBS lured a journalist into a Saudi consulate, suffocated him, & chopped him to pieces. Candidate Biden said MBS is a pariah whom Biden would shun. That self-same Biden flew to Saudi Arabia to beg MBS to produce more oil bc of Biden’s own war on American energy!☠️🛢 pic.twitter.com/k2vXA6l6MK
— Mary K (@MadeMeJoin2Read) July 15, 2022
Biden Claimed to Discuss Khashoggi Murder with MBS
Meanwhile, Biden said he discussed the murder of Khashoggi during his meeting with the crown prince.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Biden claimed human rights issues were at the top of the meeting agenda, adding he also discussed the “need for political reform” in Saudi Arabia.
Biden further argued that a US president could not remain silent on human rights violations anywhere in the world. He was criticized earlier for his fist bump with the Saudi monarch.
According to Washington Post publisher Fred Ryan, Biden has successfully given redemption to MBS, which he was desperately seeking after the brutal murder of Khashoggi.
Similarly, Kimberly Halkett of Al Jazeera noted that Biden went into “damage control” mode after meeting with the crown prince, just to cover up the public relations disaster of meeting with an authoritative dictator.
This article appeared in TheDailyBeat and has been published here with permission.
