Tomorrow, President Biden heads to Saudi Arabia as part of his much-anticipated trip to the Middle East. Countering Iran, resetting Saudi Arabia’s relations with Israel, the civil war in Yemen, and, of course, skyrocketing oil prices, are all on the table. Yet Americans across the aisle have been quick to condemn Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia for lending legitimacy to a regime accused of human rights abuses in Yemen and the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Can the United States still lead with its democratic values while cooperating with authoritarian regimes?

Aaron David Miller,  a senior fellow in the American Statecraft Program and the host of Carnegie Connects, joins Doug this week to unpack Biden’s complicated visit to Saudi Arabia and the future of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. A veteran State Department diplomat, Aaron also gives his take on how and if the United States can still lead with its values in the 21st century.

1. Aaron David Miller. (2022, July 7). "What to Expect From Biden's Big Middle East Trip." Foreign Policy. 
2. Aaron David Miller. (2022, June 23). "Opinion: Biden and the Saudi Crown Prince rehab project." CNN.
3. Aaron David Miller. (2022,  May 5). "Opinion: What Biden needs to get if MBS wants to reconcile." CNN.