The immediate price for this commitment is ending the diplomatic freeze that began when the Saudi government assassinated Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist and US resident. The long-term price is once again entangled with a reckless client, who continues to devastate nearby nations and destabilize the Middle East. The Biden administration also continued its economic war with Iran and Venezuela, also pressuring US allies to comply against two of the biggest oil producers. This isolation and uncertainty limits oil production in both nations and forces them to seek engagement from rivals such as Russia and China. If the Biden administration wants to lower oil prices and stabilize regional conflicts, rekindling relations with the key instigator is the wrong way forward. Instead, it should diversify its relations and lift sanctions on isolated countries, including Iran and Venezuela. Doing so would not only lower gas prices, but also reduce the ability of existing customers to take advantage of Washington’s support. Gasoline prices at an Exxon gas station in Houston on June 9, 2022. Brandon Bell/Getty Images Oil prices are obviously a big deal. They hit $111 a barrel last month, creating both short-term pain and long-term loss. Because transportation costs affect everything, high gas prices raise the price of everything else, making Americans poorer in real terms because their wages buy fewer goods. But the proposed re-engagement is merely code for providing the Saudis with more security commitments and additional American resources. He would reiterate that the Saudi government can do whatever it wants and expects continued US support, which is not a recipe for encouraging them to accommodate American interests. It will also further erode international norms and increase reckless driving. The leveraged delivery means that temporary increases in production can be reversed later. And that small “consolation” would come at the cost of looking beyond public extrajudicial killing. International norms are weakened when prominent countries offer tacit validation of their violation. Scammers are a bit like entrepreneurs: they know an opportunity when they see one. Expanding US engagements in Saudi Arabia would also deepen America’s involvement with a historically destabilizing power. This is a country that has recently been at war with impoverished neighboring Yemen, using missiles supplied by Washington to bomb everything from funerals to weddings. The leadership and institutions of Saudi Arabia remain the same. States make cost-benefit calculations like everyone else. When the United States offers commitment—money and weapons despite destabilizing behavior—it shifts Saudi Arabia’s expectations of what it can and cannot do. Knowing that American support is guaranteed will only encourage more bad behavior. Smoke rises from a community hall in Sanaa, Yemen, where Saudi-led warplanes bombed a funeral, October 9, 2016. Khaled Abdullah/Reuters Instead of deepening ties with nefarious actors, the Biden administration should diversify Washington’s ties so that no actor takes advantage of US support. Coincidentally, Iran and Venezuela are also founding members of OPEC and major oil producers. If they produce oil at full capacity, oil prices could drop significantly. Biden should offer them relief to encourage more oil production. After oil sanctions are lifted, Biden may offer to buy a certain amount of oil up front to stabilize businesses and improve long-term production. This would indicate a renewed commitment to restoring economic relations with both nations. Finally, the Biden administration should schedule bilateral talks on a regular basis to improve communications and build a productive relationship. The goal of these talks would be the gradual lifting of other sanctions, such as in the banking sector, international trade and shipping. Even unrelated sanctions have devastating effects on trade: if businesses know a country is a potential target for sanctions, why invest in such an unstable environment? These reforms will not only curb inflation, but help move the two nations out of Russia’s orbit and improve Washington’s bargaining power with existing clients. Countries like Saudi Arabia would have a harder time monopolizing the attention of the Biden administration. International relations, like economics, are about trade-offs. By lifting sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, Biden can take steps to restore the country’s standard of living. Building a world where America has more relationships and pursues them in an entrepreneurial way is a world where the US can see and pursue its interests more clearly. Yameen Huq is a cybersecurity professional and Strategic Leaders Fellow at the John Quincy Adams Society. Previously, he was a consultant specializing in analytics, cyber security and strategy for public and private sector clients. He holds a master’s degree in Cybersecurity with an emphasis on technology policy. His previous writing has appeared in The National Interest, American Affairs, and Exponents. The views expressed in this post are his own and do not reflect those of his employer. Follow him on Twitter here.
