Tom Del Beccaro: Trump, Biden and the Middle East – Why 2020 election matters more than ever
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}One of the most important stories of 2020 is the Israel-United Arab Emirates peace deal that was brokered by President Trump last week.
The timing of the deal indicates that the UAE and Israel want the reelection of Donald Trump. That's because Trump’s Middle East policies have made them safer by weakening Iran — whereas presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s proposed policies would revitalize Iran.
Among the many differences between President Trump and his challenger Biden is in foreign policy.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}KUSHNER HAILS ISRAEL-UAE PEACE DEAL AS 'PARADIGM SHIFT' FOR MIDDLE EAST
President Trump has been an unabashed supporter of Israel, including his controversial decision to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Trump’s policy toward Iran is also quite clear. From scrapping the Obama-Iran deal to the killing of Iran’s Qassim Soleimani, President Trump is determined to defund and weaken Iran.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Of course, most of the foreign policy establishment within the State Department and beyond vociferously criticized President Trump for those actions and his overall Middle East policies.
His critics claimed it would make the world considerably more dangerous. Then again, that same establishment can’t claim a success like President Trump can in the Middle East.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Indeed, for the first time in 25 years, real peace in the Middle East has been significantly advanced. It is also likely that Bahrain could make a similar deal with Israel before our November election. Oman might do the same.
Those advancements would be truly historic.
Part of the reason why the Israel-UAE deal occurred is that President Trump’s unequivocal support of Israel strengthened Israel’s hand in the region. Another reason is that President Trump’s policies have curtailed Iran.
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Indeed, Trump’s greatest foreign policy achievement prior to the Israel-UAE deal was how he was able to defund Iran and Russia by unleashing the American energy industry. Russia and Iran with less money are a less formidable Russia and Iran.
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Trump’s defunding policies are a complete reversal of the Obama-Biden Iran policy. The worst part of the Obama-Biden Iran deal was that Iran became flush with cash.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Keep in mind that Iran’s goal is to become the most powerful country in the Middle Eastern Arab World and beyond.
For years Iran believed that obtaining a nuclear weapon was the quickest route to gaining that status. The situation in Iraq and the money from the Obama-Iran deal helped to modify the mullahs' thinking.
The collapse of Iraq (in part because former President Barack Obama pulled out of the country before it was stabilized) allowed Iran a greater presence there. Along with Iran’s presence and influence in Yemen, Syria, Gaza and Lebanon, Iran was getting closer to its goal of dominance by using conventional ground forces.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In the case of Iran a more widespread presence in the region requires cash to pay for it. The money Iran received from the U.S. and from the lifting of sanctions directly helped Iran with its increased conventional ground strategy. Even then-Secretary of State Democrat John Kerry – architect of the Obama-Iran deal – admitted that some of the money would be used by Iran for terror. And that's what happened: the Obama-Iran deal helped fund Iran’s conventional war efforts throughout the region.
Simply stated, President Trump defunded Iran’s efforts. Biden’s policies would put Iran back in business.
Biden would conduct a war on the U.S. fossil fuel industry, increasing energy prices around the world and reducing U.S. market presence. Combined with Biden’s desire to revive the Obama-Iran deal, Iran would be flush with cash again.
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Long-term, an Iran with cash is bad news for Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan and Qatar.
It is also bad for the world and that's why the 2020 election matters more than ever.
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