It's also amusing to snicker at the president's inability to organize his thoughts into a series of connected ideas. Nonetheless, there are a lot of serious problems affecting the Biden administration as well. The fact that Biden and his team appear to be dozing off while one of America's most vehement geopolitical foes continues to build power and influence is maybe foremost among those ghastly concerns.
It should be raising all kinds of worries in the White House because that opponent, China, recently assisted in brokering a significant step on the international stage. Iran and Saudi Arabia are the only two nations that have ever harbored a greater animosity toward one another than US and China.
Since the time of the Bible, the Middle East has been a flashpoint for conflict. The mutual contempt and animosity that Saudi Arabia and Iran had for one another has always been a symbol of the problems that afflict that region of the world.
Long-term peace between those nations, or any of them, has always been a priority for world leaders. Even former president Donald Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner spent endless hours working on it.
But, the first move toward any form of reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia can be credited to China because of the Biden administration's complete neglect of its responsibilities in regard to all international affairs that do not involve Ukraine. China may truly take pride in this achievement.
The two Middle Eastern nations have "decided to restart diplomatic relations and reopen embassies," according to reports from the Iranian news agency IRNA and the Saudi state-run Saudi Press Agency, following discussions that China facilitated.
It's noteworthy that the SPA's statement made a point of praising China and President Xi Jinping on multiple times.
In its first paragraph, the SPA commends "His Excellency President Xi Jinping's noble initiative" and "China's support for strengthening good neighborly relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran."
The Republic of Iraq and the Sultanate of Oman were thanked for holding rounds of talks between the two sides in 2021 and 2022 by the Saudi and Iranian sides, according to the SPA statement. The leadership and administration of the People's Republic of China received praise from both parties for hosting and financing the discussions as well as for the efforts made to ensure their success.
Iran and Saudi Arabia "decided to confirm the respect for the sovereignty of states and the non intervention in internal affairs of states" in addition to "resuming diplomatic relations and reopening their embassies and missions in each other's countries," according to CNBC.
That comes dangerously near to a peace accord, perhaps falling just short of one. Given that Iran and Saudi Arabia have long-standing disagreements and frequently find themselves on opposing sides of regional crises, this is huge news.
According to CNBC, Saudi Arabia actually severed diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 following an invasion of the Saudi embassy in Tehran by Iranian demonstrators.
It's all a righteous mess, but now China may claim some small measure of credit for aiding with the cleanup.
According to Anna Jacobs, senior Gulf analyst at the International Crisis Group, "For China, this is a major triumph." she told CNBC.
And so, if this were any other nation, you might give them a virtual high five and carry on with your life.
But this is China, and President Xi is in charge. This is not a case of altruism.
You can bet your bottom dollar that if China and President Xi succeed in bringing about some stability in the Middle East, it will be to the communist country's personal, material gain (like power and control).
That should frighten every American, possibly even more so than this inept presidential government at the moment.
