Bibi’s Saudi dream threatened by his own political base

[All Along The Watchtower]

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/09/israel-saudi-normalization-stuck-netanyahu-struggles-boost-palestinian-authority

lol

[CumbrianLefty]

Dogs, fleas etc etc.

[All Along The Watchtower]

!!!!

https://twitter.com/semaforben/status/1704814714994217134?s=46

[CumbrianLefty]

Fair play, that's one hell of a metaphor.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

That man sure has a way with words.

[ingemann]

!!!!

https://twitter.com/semaforben/status/1704814714994217134?s=46

What???

[All Along The Watchtower]

The fact that Biden is pushing this so hard is gross and depressing. Of course, the “Abraham Accords” started under Trump and are endorsed by most Republicans and Democrats alike,  even though most Americans are sick of the Middle East. Now the Biden administration seriously contemplating “NATO-style” security guarantees for Saudi in exchange for normalizing diplomatic relations with Israel—as if Israel and Saudi weren’t already cooperating on a range of issues, and as if the US wasn’t already giving a blank check to the far-right extremist government in Israel and the murderous criminal dictatorship in Saudi Arabia. What is the point? Oh yeah, “if we don’t do (a whole range of idiotic and destructive policies in the Middle East), Russia and China will!” #GreatPowerCompetition

Doubling down on the same types of disastrous policies and toxic alliances will only lead to more misery, as if the region hadn’t experienced enough already. “Normalization” is the right word—in that the suffocating, conscience-scandalizing policies of states in the region have been normalized by the US and the rest of the so-called international community. But normalization is not the same thing as peace.

The Abraham Accords are nothing more than naked cynicism disguised as noble ideals. In that sense, they’re really putting the “politics” in geopolitics. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.

[Frodo]

Biden is better off leaving this to a Republican administration, and letting them take the flak for it instead. 

[It’s so Joever]

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, trying to improve relations with the Saudis and NOT Iran is a big self own.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, trying to improve relations with the Saudis and NOT Iran is a big self own.

For Bibi or for Biden? Because domestically, Iran is an utter no-go for Bibi, that renders the Saudis more feasible by default.

[It’s so Joever]

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, trying to improve relations with the Saudis and NOT Iran is a big self own.

For Bibi or for Biden? Because domestically, Iran is an utter no-go for Bibi, that renders the Saudis more feasible by default.

Biden obv.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, trying to improve relations with the Saudis and NOT Iran is a big self own.

For Bibi or for Biden? Because domestically, Iran is an utter no-go for Bibi, that renders the Saudis more feasible by default.

Biden obv.

Oh.
Well, Biden is not at all friendly with the Saudis by American president standards, he has something of a bitter feud with them. And Biden is one of those presidents with a fopo background, so he's actually running that department, with Blinken more as his top lieutenant than his top foreign policy maker. The Saudis reciprocate less-than-warm feelings from Biden (this actually started with Obama, Biden in some ways is basically Obama 2.0) and have been using their immensely wealthy position to humiliate him, doing things like leaving him waiting at the airport and sending low-level people when protocol would dictate someone higher up. The Saudis have really pulled their weight in making it very hard for Biden to either ignore them completely, or cut them loose.

Imo the Saudis are not a great ally, but an even worse enemy. Biden has to choose between a nation which does not trust us and with whom we have essentially no diplomatic credibility (thank you Trump for killing the nuclear deal) and a nation whose dynastic leadership has a feud with us but we have some overlapping interests, with as much riches as their lands have sand, OR find some other course (which he has). He's relying more on Bin Zayed now...

The nuclear issue is such a headache, good lord. Without it as a bugbear, more things would be possible, even if Iran would always be unlikely as an American ally or consistent partner.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, trying to improve relations with the Saudis and NOT Iran is a big self own.

For Bibi or for Biden? Because domestically, Iran is an utter no-go for Bibi, that renders the Saudis more feasible by default.

Both. Bibi has his own beef with Iran, but it would be a far more natural and reliable ally for Israel than the Kingdom.

[All Along The Watchtower]

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, trying to improve relations with the Saudis and NOT Iran is a big self own.

For Bibi or for Biden? Because domestically, Iran is an utter no-go for Bibi, that renders the Saudis more feasible by default.

Both. Bibi has his own beef with Iran, but it would be a far more natural and reliable ally for Israel than the Kingdom.

And there’s a historical precedent for that alliance—under the Shah.

[ingemann]

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, trying to improve relations with the Saudis and NOT Iran is a big self own.

For Bibi or for Biden? Because domestically, Iran is an utter no-go for Bibi, that renders the Saudis more feasible by default.

Both. Bibi has his own beef with Iran, but it would be a far more natural and reliable ally for Israel than the Kingdom.

Not really, as much as I prefer Iran to the Saudis, the Saudi under Mister Bone Saw is clearly the right choice for Israel to get close to, the fact that Saudi also seems to be bury the hatchet with the Iranians seems a extra bonus.the irony is that as Israel turn into a uglier country, it also seems to improve its relationship with its neighbors.

[CumbrianLefty]

Or maybe that's not so "ironic" at all.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Or maybe that's not so "ironic" at all.

(Undemocratic) Birds of a feather…

Also, Bibi Netanyahu (Republican-Israel) is not only obsessed with fighting Iran (again, Republican-Israel), he’s also one of the most disgustingly cynical operators out there, willing to do anything to keep himself out of ja—in power; no surprise that he wants a Tremendous Deal with Riyadh!