American influence in the Middle East region is declining – experts conclude after Arab League welcomes Syrian President

Jeddah – The Arab League meeting has started in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Syria is participating in this meeting after almost 12 years. Besides, the international media, including the media in the Middle East region, are paying attention to this. The Arab League welcoming Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is considered a diplomatic defeat of the United States. The Syrian President’s attendance at the Arab League meeting in Jeddah is being discussed as a sign of the US influence declining in the Middle East region.

In 2011, rebels in Syria launched an armed conflict to challenge the regime of President Assad. Syria’s closest allies, Iran and Russia, sided with President Assad. Saudi Arabia and UAE said that the Syrian people had revolted against President Assad. It was revealed that the US and the Middle East supported the Syrian rebels. After this, the major countries of the Arab League, including Saudi Arabia, accused the regime of Syrian President Assad of oppressing the common people. After this, it was decided to cancel Syria’s membership in the Arab League.

Moreover, Syria has once again joined the Arab League after 12 years. This appears to be a major failure of US foreign policy. The United States also criticised it and demanded that the Arab League think more while making decisions about Syria. But the Arab League seems to have ignored it. Pointing to this, a country like Iran claims that American influence in the Middle East is declining.

Furthermore, US opposition parties and analysts have already warned that the policies adopted by the Biden administration towards the Middle East region will have repercussions. His warning seems to be coming true. The Biden administration made the mistake of hurting its key allies in the Middle East region, namely Israel and Saudi Arabia. Former President Donald Trump recently criticised the United States has to bear its consequences.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a letter to the Arab League proposing cooperation. President Putin suggested that Russia could take the initiative to resolve the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict and other issues in the Middle East region. The Russian President said that Russia could contribute to ceasing the ongoing bloodshed in Sudan, Libya and Yemen. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who attended the meeting of the Arab League in Jeddah, earnestly appealed that the Arab League should not ignore Ukraine.

After the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Arab League refused to side with Ukraine as the US and European countries suggested. The member states of the Arab League adopted a neutral stance in this conflict. Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries have also rejected US demands to increase oil production. Therefore, although the Arab League has had the opportunity to participate in this meeting, it appears that the Arab League will not decide to go against Russia by responding to this invitation.
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