Friday, October 25, 2013

Saudi Arabia and the United States: A Lover's Quarrel




Last Friday, October 18th, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced that it was unhappy in its relationship with the United States of America. This news was not especially disturbing to the United States, as we have incurred the displeasure of Saudi Arabia before with no real consequences. Based King Abdullah's recent actions, however, it appears as if Saudi Arabia means business this time.

The first hint we had of the King's disillusionment with the United States was his rejection of a seat on the U.N. Security Council.The Saudi government had been grooming government officials and lobbying for this highly sought-after position for the better part of a year when, on October 18th, the Kingdoms efforts were vindicated.The announcement that Saudi Arabia would have a seat on the U.N. Security Council was met with cheers and jubilation, but these celebrations were short-lived. Mere hours later, a shocking announcement came from the capital in Riyadh. The King ordered Saudis, "...'to cancel the celebration'. In a step unprecedented since the UN’s creation, the kingdom declared that it would renounce the seat. The council had failed to bring peace to the Middle East, it said, noting in particular Palestine and the civil war in Syria. So membership would be refused until the council is reformed." 

Despite Saudi Arabia's failure to cause any real damage in the past, King Abdullah seems determined now to make trouble for United States. He is upset with our foreign policy --or lack thereof-- in the Middle East and it appears that he is serious in his threats this time around. Rejection of the seat on the Security Council is the first of many actions Saudi Arabia can take to rebuke America for its recent, yet egregious, foreign policy blunders in Syria. One option is to hit us where it hurts -- oil imports. The United States imports 8.1% of its oil from Saudi Arabia -- with Saudi Arabia's help, gas prices have remained in check, but who knows what would happen if we broke things off? Also, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia possesses vast amounts of wealth and has already hinted at its plans to provide twelve times the amount financial aid that the United States currently supplies to Egypt. This proposal must look very appetizing to Egyptians, considering we supported the overthrow of their president, but provided no viable solution to the power vacuum that followed. Oh, and don't forget that we recently reduced the amount of aid we send to Egypt. Were I Egyptian, I would be awfully tempted by Saudi Arabia's offer.

Clearly, Saudi Arabia is no longer intimidated by the United States and the government has the ability to cause a great deal of problems for America. Regardless, Saudi Arabia will not be alone for long. Soon enough, the Kingdom will realize that it lacks the military capabilities to stand alone -- a service that the United States has readily provided in the past. I am certain, however, that Russia would be more than happy to fill the hole left behind by the United States. What needs to happen is a mutual reconciliation, to be initiated by the United States. America must start producing viable, non-military solutions to the turmoil in the Middle East. Then and only then will we be back in King Abdullah's good graces.  

  

2 comments:

  1. Saudi Arabia must be feeding on air, if it thinks that it could somehow harm the United States, with whatever it does. I think the problem is that Saudi Arabia does not yet appreciate the fact that the floor is moving, underneath its influence with the United States, which has been based on its vast oil wealth. In a few years, the United States would not need to depend on oil imports. The United States has spent a lot of money and expended a lot of security resources, to safeguard the territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia. If the Saudis do not realize that, the United States should merely downgrade its relationship with that country, which given its undemocratic ways, should not be looked upon as a viable long-term ally, anyway.

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    1. A good point to bring up -- Saudi Arabia's influence is definitely diminishing, given decreased U.S. dependence on oil imports. Saudi Arabia could never do any real harm to the United States, however, the nation's recent actions represent a broader Arab dissatisfaction with America's slipshod Middle East foreign policy of late.

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