Biden’s Mideast policy has been ‘disaster’: Former UK envoy to Syria
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Outgoing President Joe Biden’s policy has been widely criticized for undermining the US' global standing, primarily due to its unwavering support for "Israel."
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US President Joe Biden pauses during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the war on Gaza in Tel Aviv, "Israel", on October 18, 2023. (AP)
Former UK Ambassador to Syria Peter Ford criticized outgoing President Joe Biden's Middle East policy, calling it a failure that has diminished the US' global influence by blindly supporting "Israel" and fostering closer ties among regional adversaries, according to RIA Novosti.
President Biden’s Middle East policies could be deemed successful if the only measure was the extent to which it advanced "Israel's" interests. Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas have been humbled, and Syria has experienced a regime change, the veteran diplomat said.
"Judged however by the yardstick of advancing American interests, Biden has been a disaster. The standing of the US in the eyes of the world, on account of its blinkered support for genocide in Gaza, has never been lower. Its adversaries have never drawn closer together. An opportunity to avoid conflict with Iran by resurrecting Obama's deal was squandered," He added.
Ford remarked that Biden's "one sensible policy"—the withdrawal from Afghanistan—was the very decision that drew the most criticism from the "Washington warmongering establishment." Any predictions about Trump's policies "can only be guesses," Ford continued.
He suggested that Trump’s selections for Middle East-related positions indicate he may "double down" on Biden’s mistakes. However, he added that Trump could still "surprise on the upside."
"Who better to deliver some sharp messages to Israel than its biggest supporters? We may be seeing the first fruits of this with Netanyahu settling for a Gaza ceasefire now rather than risk having his arm twisted by Trump," Ford said.
On Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that the involvement of Trump’s team was "absolutely critical" in securing the ceasefire and captive release agreement between "Israel" and Hamas during the final week of Biden’s presidency.
Last year, more than 400 political appointees and employees from over 40 government departments expressed their disapproval of his blind support for "Israel" and its war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza, in a letter to Biden on November 14.
The letter detailed that “the overwhelming majority of Americans support a cease-fire” and do not wish to see their military "drawn into another costly and senseless war in the Middle East."
Some who helped organize the letter accused Biden of shifting his policy from representing American voters to dismissing many concerns of theirs and other political appointees.
