Saudi Arabia Rejects Biden Plea to Increase Oil Production as Midterms Loom

LAST WEEK, President Joe Biden had a high-profile call with King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud in an effort to partially restore a relationship with Saudi Arabia. According to the White House’s readout, during the call, Biden reaffirmed the willingness of the U.S. to aid Saudi in so-called defensive operations against the Houthis in Yemen, following recent attacks by the Houthis on the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. It also alludes to a discussion of the kingdom’s oil production, which has remained low since Saudi Arabia denied Biden’s request to increase it in…