Biden defends decision to visit Saudi Arabia, says rights are on his agenda
NBCMAR 28 2022
The Spin
Republican narrative
Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia is just another example of his administration's hypocrisy and political opportunism. MBS has been directly linked to the killing of Khashoggi, and visiting the kingdom without first getting human rights commitments will only send a message to its leaders that there are no consequences for egregious rights violations.
Democratic narrative
Recent geopolitical events have forced Biden's hand. His main foreign policy priority has been diplomacy, and there's little to suggest that this has changed. With the Middle East's countless political problems, and the long and historic relationship between the US and Saudi, Biden is wise to rely on realpolitik to advance US interests in the region and the world more broadly.