Conversely, China is clear-eyed about its interests in the Middle East and, more importantly, their limits.
In fact, most of China's Belt and Road Initiative investments in the Middle East hinge on ensuring free trade in the Middle East and a steady energy supply, not security.
As international scrutiny builds surrounding the Uyghur crisis, China is particularly keen on finding partners in the Middle East who will exchange silence for investment.
With Saudi Arabia, which has its own skeletons in its closet, such a trade is tempting.
Instead of resorting to undue threat inflation, the United States may benefit from a corrective course on its history in the Middle East thus far.