Watan-The cameras captured a humiliating moment when US President Joe Biden ignored Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi while he was speaking during their meeting at the White House on Monday.
A circulated video showed Biden preoccupied with his “smartwatch” during the meeting, while the Iraqi Prime Minister was talking about the necessity of enhancing relations between the two countries. Before resuming with the translation.
This incident is not the only one where Joe Biden’s actions have been scrutinized by the global media during his meeting with Al-Kadhimi.
Footage also documented a moment when Biden was handed a paper, described as a “cheat sheet,” containing instructions on when he should focus on speaking and when he should pause to allow the translator to translate.
During the meeting, Biden reaffirmed his country’s commitment to protecting its interests and the interests of its partners in the Middle East region, as well as its determination to prevent escalation risks in the region.
The American President also reiterated his country’s commitment to Israel’s security, as well as the safety and security of US forces and Washington’s partners in the region.
Biden is playing with his watch while the Iraqi prime minister speaks pic.twitter.com/CteRSaLqBC
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A Precarious Visit
Al-Kadhimi’s visit came at a delicate time, coinciding with Iran’s retaliatory launch against Israel, which included the firing of hundreds of rockets and drones.
Al-Kadhimi stated that his visit comes at a critical and sensitive time in terms of US-Iraqi bilateral relations, as well as the circumstances in the region and the “crimes against innocents” occurring in Palestine, in addition to fears of the conflict widening, as reported by Al Jazeera.
According to Al-Kadhimi’s statement, the visit aims to “transition relations with the United States into a new phase that includes activating the provisions of the Strategic Framework Agreement in line with our government’s program, which focuses on economic and financial reforms, as well as productive partnerships with various countries around the world.”
Al-Kadhimi emphasized that his meeting with Biden would discuss the circumstances in the region and its escalating situation, and the mutual role in working towards de-escalation and preventing the conflict from spreading, which affects overall stability in the world.
The meeting also reviews the work of the High Military Committee between Iraq and the international coalition, aimed at reaching a timeline for ending the coalition’s mission and transitioning to bilateral relations with the participating countries.