US losing its grip over Middle East: Ex-Saudi intel chief Prince Turki

Riyadh – Prince Turki bin Faisal al-Saudi, a former Saudi intelligence chief, said ‘The decision of the Biden administration to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and Iraq has created a strategic confusion in the Middle East. The question is whether Biden is committed to the security of the region. The United States is losing its grip over the Middle East region.’ At the same time, Prince Turki warned his country’s leadership that the time should not come for Saudi Arabia to choose one of the superpowers soon.

Leaders and analysts around the world, including the United States, have been lashing out at the decision of US President Joe Biden to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. US leaders, diplomats and former military officials have expressed concern that the United States has lost the trust of allies and partner countries. All of them have warned that the US policy has increased insecurity in friendly and allied countries. At an event hosted by a US study group, Saudi Arabia’s Prince Turki also slammed the Biden administration’s Middle East policy.

Prince Turki severely criticised, saying, ‘I don’t know which word to use, whether incompetence, carelessness, bad management – it was all a combination of those things’. At the same time, Prince Turki has warned that the United States shirking the responsibility of its allies and partners in the Middle East, would not be conducive to peace and security in the region.

The decision regarding the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and Iraq has raised questions over the US influence in the region. Because, for the last seven decades, the United States has been a powerful superpower. But the decisions, taken in recent months casts doubt on the role and commitment of the United States to safeguarding Middle East security. Prince Turki warned ‘As a result, there is a strategic turmoil in the region, which could lead to more conflicts and crises.’

The former Saudi intelligence chief has claimed that no other region in the world fears the threat posed by the turmoil, as much as the Middle East region. Prince Turki cited that the security of Saudi faces the greatest threat in the Middle East. Prince Turki expressed a concern ‘It is very worrisome, that aspect of it, and now with this weaponry, the ally of the Taliban, al-Qaida, may get their hands on, it’s going to be even more worrisome. Besides, Al Qaeda terrorists will target Saudi Arabia more than any other country.’

Prince Turki criticised the United States‘ The Middle East has always been of paramount importance for the international community. Therefore, do not put Saudi Arabia in a situation that it would have to choose one of the superpowers soon.’ The former Saudi intelligence chief drew attention to the military coups in Sudan and Tunisia. Senior members of the Saudi royal family have claimed that both incidents show that the United States is losing its grip.

A month ago, Prince Turki had criticised the Biden administration for removing the Patriot air defence system from Saudi Arabia. Prince Turkey has already indicated that the insecurity n the Middle East has been growing since Biden took office.