The Biden administration has significantly ramped up its arms sales to the Middle East

In recent weeks, the administration has approved a massive $20 billion weapons deal with Israel, including advanced fighter jets, missiles, and munitions, alongside lifting a ban on offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. This marks a sharp pivot from Biden's early promises to focus on human rights and reduce U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts.

The decision to greenlight these weapons sales is raising alarms among critics who worry that it will only fuel ongoing conflicts in the region. The Israel package, one of the largest in recent years, comes as the country continues its military operations in Gaza following the October 7 attacks by Hamas. The deal includes the sale of F-15 fighter jets, a move seen as bolstering Israel's long-term military capabilities. However, the immediate inclusion of 6,500 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits, which transform unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions, has been criticized for enabling further strikes in densely populated areas of Gaza​.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, a country long criticized for its human rights abuses, particularly in Yemen, has been granted new air-to-ground munitions as part of a resumed arms flow.

The Biden administration had initially paused these sales due to concerns over civilian casualties in the Saudi-led coalition's war in Yemen. However, the administration has now lifted the suspension, citing improvements in Saudi conduct and the strategic necessity of maintaining close ties with Riyadh amidst growing regional instability​.

This renewed U.S. support comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, with the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and escalating threats from Iran-backed groups, including the Houthis in Yemen. The Houthis have resumed missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and, more recently, on Israeli targets, further complicating the regional security landscape. Despite these challenges, the Biden administration's decision to provide more weapons has been justified as necessary to counter these threats and support key allies​.

However, the escalation in arms sales has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations and some members of Congress. Critics argue that this approach undermines Biden's stated commitment to human rights and could exacerbate the very conflicts the U.S. claims to want to resolve. The administration's move to lift restrictions on how Israel can use U.S. military aid, by sidestepping legal roadblocks such as the Leahy Law, has only intensified these concerns​.

The strategic calculus behind these sales appears to be driven by the need to reinforce alliances in a volatile region. As the U.S. seeks to manage its relationships with both Israel and Saudi Arabia, it faces the challenge of balancing military support with diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions. Yet, the influx of American weapons into these already volatile environments raises the risk of further violence and instability, with long-term implications for U.S. foreign policy​.

In conclusion, the Biden administration's recent arms deals represent a significant shift in its Middle East policy, moving away from earlier restraint towards a more aggressive posture in support of its regional allies. Whether this strategy will lead to greater security or deeper entanglement in the region's conflicts remains to be seen, but the potential for escalation is a looming concern.

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