For byden, was his calculation to meet with mohammed ben salman worth it? Y think in the short term, it was a blow. He had basically set himself up in a staring contest with another world leader and he lost. In terms of what he accomplished during the meeting, it's hard to see that any of this is going to make a huge difference.
In the past, President Biden has called Saudi Arabia a “pariah” for its human rights abuses and said that he would never meet with its de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
But Mr. Biden’s first trip as president to the Middle East included talks with the prince. What prompted the change in course?
Guest: Ben Hubbard, the Beirut bureau chief for The New York Times.
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