Raed Jarrar on UAE’s Presidential Visit to Biden
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Medium (Personal)
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/09/28
*Interview conducted September 24.*
Raed Jarrar is an Arab-American political advocate based in Washington, DC. Since he immigrated to the U.S. in 2005, he has worked as a lobbyist on political issues pertaining to the U.S. engagement in the Arab world.
Widely recognized as an expert on political, social, and economic developments in the MENA region, he has testified in numerous Congressional hearings and briefings. He is a frequent guest on national and international media outlets in Arabic and English, including CNN, MSNBC, NPR, the BBC, Al Jazeera, and Sky News Arabia. He has been published in the New York Times and quoted in media outlets including the Washington Post, Al Jazeera, the Hill, the Guardian, Newsweek, and more.
Raed was raised in countries all across the Middle East. He is a graduate of the University of Baghdad, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree, and the University of Jordan, where he received his Master’s Degree, both in architectural engineering. His Master’s thesis focused on post-war reconstruction. He is on the Advisory Board of the organization Airwars.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Today, we are here to discuss the UAE and the States with Raed Jarrar, who is the Advocacy Director for DAWN (Democracy for the Arab World Now), an organization that focuses on promoting democracy, human rights, and justice in the Middle East and North Africa region. Thank you for sending this note to me regarding the visit of UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed to the United States on September 25th. I believe it’s an important topic. What is the motivation for this trip, and why is this particular issue urgent? People might be wondering, “There are so many conflict zones and crises around the world, why focus on this?”
I, myself, just returned from Ukraine a week ago, and there are certainly different conflicts happening globally.
Raed Jarrar: So, let me set the tone for the emphasis on this particular visit and its significance in highlighting some of the ongoing humanitarian crises, particularly in countries like Sudan and Yemen. Two key points make this visit significant.
First, this visit is unprecedented. The White House has never before invited a UAE president. This will be the first time a UAE president visits the White House, which is historically significant. The second key point is the timing.
Unfortunately, this visit signals that the White House is once again deprioritizing human rights in its foreign policy. For me, this trip marks the end — the final nail in the coffin — of President Biden’s promise to center human rights in U.S. foreign policy. This administration has failed to deliver on those promises. The fact that they are inviting the head of the UAE, while the UAE has been implicated in various regional conflicts, is revealing. Their forces are involved in Yemen’s civil war and Sudan’s conflict, and they are violating human rights domestically. They have also been linked to spyware companies, such as NSO Group, that have targeted dissidents and political activists globally. The level of human rights violations is astounding, yet the White House is willing to welcome them because of its strategic interests involving Israel, Palestine, and U.S. priorities in the region. That’s why this trip is significant — it’s not just about the UAE; it reflects President Biden’s decision to disregard his commitments to prioritizing human rights.
Jacobsen: There is a general perception in North American, particularly American, politics among dissidents and critics of any administration that politicians lie when necessary. So, this situation might seem typical of past administrations’ foreign policies. However, is this shift more influenced by individuals within Biden’s cabinet rather than Biden himself?
Jarrar: That’s a good question. But the real issue here isn’t simply that a politician has lied. It’s true that politicians lie, in America and around the world. However, what’s unexpected is for a president to campaign on a platform and then do the exact opposite, this doesn’t fall under the category of a necessary political lie; it’s more about breaking campaign promises. It’s a betrayal of the American people who voted for him, expecting him to uphold certain values in office. This is far beyond the typical dishonesty expected of politicians.
As for who is behind these decisions, the truth is that no one can say for sure. I don’t think even people within the administration know with certainty. What we do know is that this administration has shown, over the past couple of years, a lack of direction and leadership. There is no clear strategy or leadership to formulate and implement policies effectively.
We’re seeing this in Israel-Palestine, for example. The administration has said repeatedly that they will push Israel for a ceasefire, and they have failed time and time again. This is mind-boggling. We are the strongest country in the world, and we continue to provide Israel with weapons while they openly oppose what the White House claims to be a clear instruction for a ceasefire. That is truly baffling.
Jarrar: The White House has no capacity to exercise its political leverage to actually make Israel — and Prime Minister Netanyahu — abide by a ceasefire agreement that was endorsed by the Security Council and by President Biden himself. It feels like no one is behind the wheel. Look at what’s going on in Lebanon. The lack of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza is now spreading into a regional war. President Biden has repeatedly said that he won’t allow this to become a regional war.
Yet, Israel continues bombing thousands of targets in Lebanon, simply because it refuses to sign a ceasefire agreement. They are using U.S. weapons and political cover for these actions. This administration is unable to use its political leverage because there’s no one in control. So, the answer to your question is: we don’t know. We don’t know who is calling the shots.
There are no shots being called. It’s on autopilot, with decisions being made day by day. It’s all confusing, especially when you consider that on the same day the U.S. is training members of the Lebanese Armed Forces, we are also dropping U.S. bombs on Lebanon. It’s a deeply confused policy. What’s happening with the UAE isn’t part of any comprehensive plan. It’s just the administration reacting to immediate concerns. They think the UAE can help with some tactical issues in Gaza. They might help send troops to create the so-called Arab NATO or take another step toward normalization with Israel. Based on whatever is the “flavor of the week,” they invite Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) to the White House. It’s pathetic to think about the lack of strategic vision and the administration’s inability to carry out any comprehensive policies.
Jacobsen: And from Mohammed bin Zayed’s perspective, why accept the invitation? If it’s such a new thing for a UAE president to receive this type of invitation, why would he say, “Yes”?
Jarrar: Well, of course, he would love that. For him, this is an opportunity to boost his political power. He can claim, “I am a leader who can get an official invitation to the White House. I am a mover and shaker, recognized by the United States as a legitimate authority in the region and the world.”
Naturally, he’s going to say, “Yes.” He will do whatever is required. Some people are now saying, “Oh, President Biden might bring up human rights issues with MBZ during his visit.” But what does that even mean?
It sounds like it will be nothing more than lip service. Maybe he’ll mention it briefly, saying, “Yes, we will pay attention to human rights.” But there’s no price for MBZ to pay, and there’s a lot for him to gain by showing up in the U.S. and portraying himself as a recognized and accepted leader on the international stage. He has everything to gain and nothing to lose.
The United States is giving him that platform. President Biden is providing him with legitimacy and, in the process, normalizing U.S. relationships with authoritarian regimes through this visit. So, there’s a lot at stake on our side, but nothing for him to lose.
Jacobsen: With regard to Yemen and the human rights violations attributed to the UAE, what is happening now? How are major human rights bodies like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and others cataloging these violations?
Jarrar: Violations by the UAE outside its borders have been extensively documented by human rights organizations and even by the U.S. State Department. The violations committed by the UAE in Yemen are horrific. They include war crimes, the creation of torture black sites and prisons where Yemenis and others are tortured, and the provocation of civil unrest. The UAE has occupied parts of Yemen, including islands, to use them for its own interests.
The involvement of the UAE in human rights abuses in Sudan is equally shocking. Report after report shows that the UAE is arming and training some of the most notorious groups in Sudan, groups responsible for outrageous human rights violations in the country. We’re talking about extrajudicial killings, widespread rape used as a weapon of war, enforced disappearances, and torture. The level of documentation about what the UAE has done is unbelievable. Of course, this isn’t surprising to me because the UAE has been involved in similar actions in other countries in the region. They have supported illegal coups in Egypt and Tunisia and engaged in air strikes in Libya. Their human rights record across the region is horrific.
Within the UAE itself, it remains one of the most oppressive regimes in the region. The government tolerates no dissent and has imprisoned all human rights activists on false charges, often keeping people in prison even after they’ve served their sentences. The list goes on and on. But as I mentioned, the Biden administration, with its short-term and unstrategic thinking, is doing calculations based on the “flavor of the week.”
This week’s flavor is the UAE’s ability to provide the United States with some tactical support regarding Gaza or political support related to normalization efforts in the region. For that reason, the Biden administration is telling us, and the rest of the world, that they are willing to throw human rights under the bus and prioritize whatever they are thinking about tactically this week, because they don’t care about human rights. That’s the message the Biden administration is sending.
Jacobsen: Raed, I know you need to go to your kid.
Jarrar: Yes, I can see him walking out. Let’s not talk about human rights violations in front of a kid.
Jacobsen: That’s right. We’re going to talk about butter chicken, chocolate, and wine.
Jarrar: Keep the boy in the illusion that we live in a good world, okay?
Jacobsen: That’s right, you’re absolutely right.
Jarrar: Thank you so much for your time. I’ll see you later.
Jacobsen: Take care.
Jarrar: Let’s stay in touch.
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