Biden leaves successor with unfinished business in China, Middle East

The Democrats’ platform is built on the Biden administration’s vision of a US-China relationship based on competition without conflict. But Washington’s rivalry with Beijing is perhaps more dangerous to the world order than the Cold War, and has involved none of the de-escalation tactics used then to successfully prevent “accidental catastrophe,” former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice argued in Foreign Affairs. While Biden worked hard to foster partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, they lack the “muscle memory” of the Western NATO alliance, The New York Times noted. He also made no progress to curb North Korea and Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which are now “homework for his successor,” a Seoul-based political scientist told the outlet.

Biden has worked to promote “regional integration” in the Middle East and isolate Iran through Israeli-Saudi normalization, but the work isn’t done — both at home and in the region — a research fellow at pro-Israel think tank The Washington Institute for Near East Policy argued. Riyadh still wants assurances on a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, and in the US, Democrats remain worried about the Kingdom’s ties to Big Oil and the Republicans, as well as its human rights record. Meanwhile, Biden’s apparent “colossal failure” to temper Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Gaza war could overshadow future US policy, and damage the US’ credibility to lead on human rights issues long-term, two international relations experts told The New Arab.