US President Biden’s differences with members of Congress, both Democrats, and Republicans, are not limited to domestic issues, but also extend to foreign policy, including the administration’s current policy on the Middle East. There appears to be a rare consensus, among Democrats and Republicans, on the importance of making changes to this policy, and this has been reflected in specific demands, including:
Calls to Put the Houthis back on the Terrorist Groups List: The rising number of attacks by the Houthis on infrastructure in the UAE and Saudi Arabia has led members of Congress to call on the Biden Administration to reconsider its decision to remove the Houthis off the terrorist list. Members of Congress have called for a reintroduction of US sanctions on the Houthis, in order to pressure them to stop their attacks on civilians, as well as to stand by US allies in the region. They described the current policy as a “desperate” attempt to appease the Iranian regime that is seeking to destabilize the region.
Senator Ted Cruz presented a draft law, that has the support of several Republicans and Democrats, calling for the reintroducing of sanctions on Houthi leaders, their allies, and agents because of the attacks carried out on US allies. There is mounting pressure on the Biden administration to re-brand the Houthis as terrorists and the odds of Congress passing a law to force them to do this is getting higher. Accordingly, the US administration announced it is studying the option of reintroducing the Houthis on the terrorist list.
Calls for the Withdrawal from the G4+1 Negotiations in Vienna: With what appears to be, so far, a failure to reach an agreement in Vienna, many Republicans and Democrats have called on President Biden to withdraw from the negotiations, and to increase sanctions on Iran for its continued breaches of Uranium enrichment. The members of Congress also demanded putting a stop to the sale of Iranian oil to Venezuela and China, which they see as a breach of US sanctions on Iran. Members of Congress have opposed lifting sanctions on Iran, as this would allow it to further funnel billions of dollars into terrorist activities against the US and its allies.
In response to these pressures, US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, stated clearly that time is running out and that the US might resort to other options to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. The US administration is also looking into resorting to the international sanctions regime by using “Snap Back” which would have a large impact on the Iranian economy and could stifle its support to its allies in the region, especially the armed militias.
However, the Biden administration will not necessarily change, as was indicated by its opposition to an article in the National Defense Law for the year 2022, requiring congress be given detailed reports on Iranian military power and their related activities.
Criticisms of the Current Policies Towards Syria: Some US legislators have objected to what they perceive as implicit agreement by the current administration to current efforts at normalizing relations between the Assad regime and some Arab countries. These include senior members of the Foreign Affairs Committee in both the Senate and Congress. Members of both parties have called on President Biden to take stricter measures against the Syrian regime, and to actively implement the Caesar Law to protect civilians in Syria. This law grants the power to sanction anyone that deals with the Assad regime, or helps in its war effort, specifically in the areas of infrastructure, aviation, and energy. Several lawmakers, both Democrats and Republican, argue that the Biden administration has not given sufficient attention to the Syrian crisis, where a decade of civil war has killed hundreds of thousands of Syrians and has led to the largest refugee crisis in the world. As opposed to his predecessors, Biden has not appointed a special envoy to Syria whilst appointing envoys to Yemen, Libya, and Iran.
The Biden administration, however, has rejected the critique that it has not prioritized the Syrian crisis by stating that the administration is focusing on providing humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, maintaining the ceasefire in all of Syria, and ensuring the defeat of ISIS. Under the National Defense Act, that Congress has pressured the Biden administration into signing, the administration is now obliged to present within 90 days a report on its diplomatic and defense strategy in Syria, that including partnering with Turkey and Russia, as well as how to prevent Syria’s return to the Arab League.
Concerns regarding faltering Democratic Transitions: Although human rights assume a prominent place on the Biden Administration’s agenda, Congress has criticized its approach towards developments in Tunisia and Sudan. Many members of Congress have expressed concern that developments in the two countries threaten the transition towards democracy. They have called on the Biden Administration to continue pressuring the leaderships of both countries to commit to the democratic reforms they promised, in order to ensure both countries prosper in the long run.
Concerns regarding the deteriorating situation in Ethiopia: Several members of Congress, headed by Senator Jim Rush, welcomed the call that took place lately between President Biden and Aby Ahmed. Rush stated that despite the call being very late, it was important considering the deteriorating situation in Ethiopia. They have asked President Biden to up the pressure on the prime minister of Ethiopia to stop acts of aggression, including airstrikes against civilians, and to end the blockade of the Tigray region, to allow humanitarian relief to reach its inhabitants. They want to see an increase in American efforts to reach a peace agreement in Ethiopia, and for the administration to deliver on its promises and to bring to justice all those responsible for hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Ethiopian people.
The US Constitution grants Congress tools to counterbalance the president’s power in making decisions regarding US foreign policy. This has allowed Democrats and Republicans that share the concerns regarding Biden’s foreign policy, to exert pressure in order to make certain changes to US policy in the Middle East. The pressure from Congress to make these changes may in fact escalate in the near future, especially if Democrats lose their slim majority in the Senate in the upcoming midterm elections of November 2022.