US-Saudi relations: «desert storms»
Often
described Saudi foreign policy as being based on their performance
style «discreet silence», which is by nature tend to be deliberately
vague and thumb, and prefers Saudi diplomacy usually resort to secrecy
and to avoid confrontation, which is in this sense closer to
prevarication and far from the direct method. Saudi
Leadership Believes That this method is the Safest in its dealings with
its regional environment full of direct conflict and long-term
Stability. Therefore It was only
paving the way for the long-standing ally, the United States should take
initiatives and pursue their own agenda in the Middle East, the Saudis
have often agree.
In
fact, the established Saudi-US relations during the Second World War,
and in the February 18, 1943 announced the US President Roosevelt «that
the defense of Saudi Arabia is vital to the United States of America»,
have paved the American oil companies ten years ago of the Declaration
of Roosevelt to Establish the while these relationships successfully
Company «Standard Oil of California» to get the privilege of drilling
for oil in Saudi Arabia. Combines
Followers of relations between Washington and Riyadh on the grounds
That the meeting between U.S. President Roosevelt with Saudi King Abdul
Aziz ibn Saud aboard the cruiser «Quincy» on his way back from the
summit of Yalta «February 1945» with Stalin and Churchill, has laid the
foundation for a strategic deal-strong guarantee the flow of Saudi oil
to the United States and its allies against the protection of Washington
to the Saudi regime.
Over the last seventy years, the equation of protection against the Continued supply of oil at reasonable prices. It
is true That these relations did not disturb in some stages of the
differences and tensions between the two Parties, but these cases formed
the exception, not the rule. According
to Chas Freeman Diplomatic veteran, and former U.S. Ambassador in
Riyadh «1989 1992» During the first Gulf War, and personal well-known
close Relevant institutions of American foreign policy, which says: «In
the past, we can Rely on them «Saudis» at least not to oppose the policy
of the United States, In most cases, support them ».
But
this compatibility between the two countries in these days no longer
exists at the same pace that it had in the past, and it seems fitfully
and susceptible to vibrations multiple, more recently, came complaints
noisy expressed by senior Saudi officials clearly that the interests of
the solid alliance between the two Countries are at stake and this is
why Minister of State John Kerry for a trip to the emergency Riyadh
early last November during which he met King Abdullah and Foreign
Minister Saud al-Faisal and a number of Saudi Officials. But it is doubtful that Kerry has succeeded in putting an end to the deterioration in relations between the two countries.
Speaking
David Ignatius known writer in the Washington Post about the process of
the collapse of the US-Saudi relations, «and it is moving towards this
trend two years ago, and the like, such as a car on the way to the crash
in slow »not without this description of an exaggeration, however, the
researchers other Americans go beyond So, where are considered to be the
outcome of the relations between the two countries is the culmination
of a long path is disappointed mutual and slow, began with the end of
the Cold War, and included stations harsh for both Parties. The
«11 September» for Americans in 2001 and one of these stations, the
while the form of the invasion of Iraq «2,003» and resulted in at Least
the eyes of the Saudis of delivery of power by the administration of
George W. Bush, to the Shiite majority, and this is what form probably
the biggest strategic setback suffered Kingdom has over the past
decades.
Of course, did not live up to Riyadh to adopt the Bush administration's
son even before the invasion of Iraq to call for spreading democracy in
the Middle East, it touches a raw nerve with the Saudis, have received
this call promoting the American after her « 11 September », thus
increasing the estrangement between the two allies.
In the arena of engagement regional in the East were Iran is the
opponent who tried Saudis curb its influence and prevent its expansion
in the area they consider fall within their neighborhood direct, in
Lebanon support the Saudis alliance «March 14» to win twice in a row in
the parliamentary elections «2005 and 2009», and the hum first curb
«Hezbollah» ally Iran, which benefited from the Lebanese balances to get
along with his allies on the right «veto» in the Lebanese government
after the signing of the Doha agreement, and later found an alliance
«March 14» himself outside the government formed by Prime Minister Najib
Mikati.
In Iraq, despite the efforts made by the Saudis, they could not impose
their choice appointed Iyad Allawi as prime minister, despite winning
the largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament, to receive this position, the
opponent who is close to Tehran, Nuri al-Maliki, who is still in office
since the 2010 elections.
In the Palestinian arena, sponsored King Abdullah Mecca agreement
between Hamas «open» and «Hamas» and was one of the objectives of this
Agreement deportation «Hamas» about Iranian influence, but the agreement
fell within months, after it took over the «Hamas» power in the Gaza
Strip, This is what does not make it forgoes its relationship with Iran.
All of these attempts failed in the region, it was the Saudis for
nearly eight years, brought on losses, while the success was an ally of
Iran, in the words of Gregory Goose American expert in the affairs of
the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula.
In the wake of the events of «Arab Spring» early 2011, which changed
the balance of power in the region, did not conceal the Saudis reactions
angry, and of course was focused on Egypt, more than Tunisia, as the
form of the fall of Mubarak is an irreparable loss to the Saudis, who
see in its own weight certain they desperately needed to offset Iran's
rising power.
The gap widening more and more between Riyadh and the Obama
administration; Saudis have a genuine concern for the performance of
this administration, it's their opinion about the dangers of mistaken
appreciation «Arab Spring» and Malath. It does not take into account their interests in dealing with juveniles.
Do not imagine the Saudis never be the fate of the king of Bahrain «Al
Khalifa» fate of Mubarak, because like any political change possible in
Bahrain that is a loss to Saudi Arabia to Iran, not to mention the
implications of direct to the Shiite population in the eastern region
who Centvdon the Al-Saud in the event of success the uprising in
Bahrain.
Based on the foregoing, the Saudi leadership did not accept the
criticism of the U.S. that have been expressed, albeit timid about the
suppression of Saudi-backed Bahraini authorities against peaceful
protests by the Shiite majority.
The Saudis feel more frustration about the positions taken by the Obama
administration, and found the additional evidence that this
administration does not take into account the specificity of Bahrain for
Saudi Arabia, which lies a stone's throw from the eastern region,
across the King Fahd Causeway, which does not exceed a length of 25 km.
In the meantime, did not result in some stage after the overthrow of
Mubarak to a kind of understanding between the Saudis and Americans
about Egypt, but on the contrary, he found the two parties that they
stand in two opposite completely, to the extent that the group «Stratfor
studies intelligence» and put the dispute between the two countries on
the crisis Egyptian site represents a major departure for the Kingdom of
American politics and the historical trend.
She was surprised with Riyadh supported by the Obama administration for
the government «Brotherhood» after the fall of Mubarak and considered
it as a great sin, in view of what constitutes the rise of the group
«Brotherhood» to the judgment of a threat to the Saudi monarchy itself,
the presence of the forces of fundamentalism in the kingdom supports
«Brotherhood» hand , on the other hand, is a rule «Brotherhood» in Egypt
challenge for the Saudis to bring them a different interpretation of
Islam, but that Dennis Ross, a former official at the National Security
Council is «that Saudi Arabia is a major aggression in the region,
namely the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran».
So it was not surprising that initiate Riyadh and its allies from the
Gulf States to stand strongly in support of the Egyptian government
temporary, and when canceled Washington military exercises with Cairo as
a result of the overthrow of Morsi, and suspended military aid to Egypt
valued at $ 1.3 billion, did not hesitate to Saudis and their allies
the Gulf at the pump billions of dollars, more than 12 times the value
of the planned U.S. assistance to Egypt.
Only Syria among the countries «Arab Spring» in the Orient enjoyed
peaceful protests since the beginnings blessing and encouragement of
Riyadh, contrary to the opinions Saudi religious scholars prohibiting
demonstrations, mainly, and this is what has been promoted widely
through the media, Saudi Arabia, and the goal of this campaign
disarmament legitimize the popular movements that started both inside
and outside the Kingdom or in Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, Tunisia, under the
pretext that these events cause chaos and lead to sabotage private and
public property.
With the shift of the peaceful protests in Syria to the military
rebellion, the Kingdom was at the forefront of countries that have
supported this option and embraced openly call for the overthrow of the
Assad regime by military means.
No one finds it difficult to identify the mystery of enthusiasm Saudi
Arabia to work with full force against the regime in Syria; has found
the Saudi leadership in what is happening in this country a historic
opportunity to make up for Khosaradtha successive over the past decade,
and specifically what it considered a loss strategy in Iraq for the
benefit of Iran, and that would bring about change in Syria to overturn
the regional equation you lose Iran fulcrum important influence in
communication with «Hezbollah» in Lebanon and the resistance movements
in Palestine, and more importantly, in the accounts of the Saudis, they
will not be alone in the confrontation with the Assad regime, but that a
number of countries regional and Western countries at the top of the
U.S. will be on their side, not to mention that the lineup Saudi Arabia
in the face of this kind would move the nerve block mission inside Saudi
Arabia, stood with the royal family under the slogans of sectarian:
«support the Sunni majority in Syria against the rule of the Alawite
minority», To the extent that Sheikh Saleh al-Luhaidan former President
of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary and current adviser at the Royal
Court, said «if not issued a fatwa» at the beginning of the Syrian
mobility that may kill a third of the Syrian people «nearly eight
million» in order to save two-thirds.
I found the Saudi leadership to threaten President Obama against the
Assad regime in the case of chemical attack on the outskirts of Damascus
«August», the opportunity to engage U.S. military directly to the
overthrow of the regime in Syria, and suspended hopes broad term which
will arrive by President Obama, as far as these hopes was frustration
and bitterness While the Saudis have signed the Americans and the
Russians committed to an agreement whereby the regime in Syria to get
rid of the chemical arsenal.
Here seem loss Arabia double, The agreement about the chemical has not
been a lifeline for the regime in Syria strike the U.S., but also made
him an international partner as a local party, which will oversee the
implementation of the agreement, after that intensified the noose in the
previous phase of the conflict, and has become an outcast of the group
not too bad of Western countries, regional, and they were putting the
departure of President Bashar al-Assad as a condition for initiating the
first to resolve the crisis in Syria.
With the announcement of the agreement was reached in Geneva «November
24» about Iran's nuclear program among the group of «P5 +1» Iran and
Saudi Arabia amounted to frustration toward the maximum range of the
Obama administration.
And here comes the signing of the agreement, but the way they entered
through it, as it was preparing to him confidentially through the launch
of both sides of the path of a negotiated collect delegates Americans
with their Iranian counterparts across multiple rounds lasted nearly
eight months before the signing of the agreement in Geneva.
Perhaps what infuriated the Saudi leadership and exacerbated the sense
of bitterness, she found herself like a husband deceived, as the secret
negotiating process between the Americans and the Iranians were behind
their backs.
Worse than that, that the facts of these negotiations took place close
to them, specifically in Oman, a country which is a partner to them as a
founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, however, no American
ally or partner of the Gulf have cost themselves the trouble to inform
the Saudis on what is happening from the negotiations, was treated just
like other other countries.
Why get angry Arabia from Washington?
Navigate a document leaked by the site «Wikileaks» about Hillary
Clinton as saying that Saudi Arabia remains «the financial base of the
core of terrorism», nor relaxes U.S. officials to «Islamic model»
provided by the Saudis and trying to circulate, they state most
responsible for the rise of Islamic extremism, and over the decades
«used oil wealth to export violent image of Islam through its clergy
Wahhabis».
... During the past three months, it seemed that the Saudi leadership
has abandoned the style «discreet silence», and decided this time to
announce to the public dissatisfaction toward the orientations of the
Obama administration through general comments to the princes of
influential and within the inner circle of the royal family, and also by
taking positions may be shocking as the only way to persuade Washington
to change what he sees as Saudi princes that the wrong path in the
words of Simon Henderson, author of the book: «After King Abdullah:
Succession in Saudi Arabia».
Emerged first indications orientation of the new Saudi, refrain Foreign
Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal for his speech at the General Assembly
of the United Nations early last October, and after nearly two weeks
proceeded Riyadh to take a dramatic step and unprecedented in the
history of the United Nations International when it announced its
refusal to fill her seat in the House of Security «October 18» The form
of this attitude surprise circuits diplomacy in New York, as it is known
that over the past three years, fought Saudi officials campaign to
mobilize and pressure intensified in order to gain support for their
demand to get a seat in the Security Council, and have already inflicted
crew Twelve of diplomatic preparation cycle, especially the
job-standing one year at Columbia University.
Three days after the announcement Kingdom refusal to seat in the
Security Council, the newspaper quoted the «Wall Street Journal» Agency
«Reuters» for European diplomats as saying that Saudi intelligence chief
Prince Bandar bin Sultan told them that Riyadh going to make a
«significant change» in its relationship with Washington in protest the
lack of action effectively in regards to the Syrian crisis, and as
reported by the «Wall Street Journal» quoted Prince Bandar his intention
to undo the existing partnership with the CIA to train the Syrian
opposition, and work with other allies in the Syrian file, such as
France and Jordan, said Prince Bandar that decision Kingdom rejected for
membership in the Security Council that it was a letter addressed to
«the United States and not to the United Nations».
Not without the timing and method of passing Prince Bandar bin Sultan,
his anti-American connotations, it is in terms of timing message came
objection Saudi Arabia on the eve of the upcoming meeting in Paris
between U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, and his Saudi counterpart,
Prince Saud al-Faisal «October 21», either way reflects growing steadily
Saudi relations French, as it chose to Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the
French ambassador in Saudi Arabia Bertrand Pinzançono «Bertrand
Besancenot» to pass his message invited him to spend the weekend in 1920
October in Jeddah, and the return of the latter to Riyadh briefed his
fellow Europeans on the substance of his meeting with the Saudi prince
was not accidental leak of these observations to the agency «Reuters»
and «Wall Street Journal».
In turn, did not lag Prince Turki al-Faisal, from participating in the
Saudi campaign against the Obama administration, he was ambassador to
Washington, as He has previously served as head of Saudi intelligence
for a long time «1979 2001», and chose to deliver his message direct on
the American soil, either through delivering a speech to the annual
conference of the decision-makers of the Arab American «October 22», or
by appearing in the American media, especially his interview lengthy
with «Washington Post» «November 4», where he was reported that Obama's
policies toward both Syria and Iran as «false and worthy lamentable and
conducive to the disappointment », and the only way according to his
opinion, before this administration to repair the corrupted, it must
work to do to resolve the Palestinian issue, and the pressure on Iran,
which itself stands out as an editor for the Palestinians and the
Syrians.
Reflect these statements over the widening gap between Saudi officials
and the Obama administration, it's not just a variation of a limited
about the detail given in U.S. policy toward the region, but it seems
for the Saudis, unlike fully about the whole of this policy, as it was
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal in the past expressed
entered into towards the administration of George W. Bush said in 2001
«to deal with the United States turns a man sane to crazy», what has he
says today in the ongoing crisis between Riyadh and Washington under the
Obama administration, which exceeded immeasurably limits of the dispute
which existed at the time of Bush son.
All indications that the structure of relations between Washington and
Riyadh are no longer as it was before, there is a change in the scene
long some of the foundations of this relationship, what after the Cold
War, not as it was during which, in addition to that the United States
stands out as the product of a global energy reduces dependence on Saudi
Oil Thus, the United States is not obliged to maintain that kind of
relationship with the Kingdom, which lasted for decades, in the words of
Christopher Davidson, author of «after Senate: following the collapse
of the monarchies of the Gulf».
Among the indicators that have raised concern and ire of Saudis what
happened when reshaping national security team in the second period for
the Obama administration as it is not set to figure at a high level to
deal with the Saudis, and this in itself shows the decline in the status
of the Kingdom in the list of concerns of planners foreign policy and
U.S. national security in the The current mandate for Obama.
There is a growing belief among decision makers Americans that their
priorities differ from those of the Saudis, and that the interests of
the two countries have become long ago for harmony is essential, for
example, if Khairat Washington between action to prevent Iran from
acquiring nuclear weapons and the Saudi influence in the region, the
priorities It is without hesitation would prevent the Iranians from
getting the bomb.
Against this criticism Arabia angry did not come from the Obama
administration positions noisy, and chose instead to «diplomatic truce»
and to contain the anger of the Saudis and make them understand that the
gap is not as wide as perceived, and inform them at the same time a
message that American interests in the region come in the first place.
While marked the official position of the U.S. towards the Kingdom not
to emotion, positions were violent against the Saudis for different
media in the American elite informal «Reporters .. academics .. experts
in research centers .. former employees in the administration». It is not unlikely that the U.S. official circles behind many of the indirect messages directed to Riyadh.
It is noteworthy in this regard to the opening and very violent by
Fareed Zakaria in the magazine «TIME» «November 11» under the title:
«The Saudis are angry!
What a calamity is! »And Zechariah document known ties to the
institution of American foreign policy, and is presented a weekly
program on the channel« CNN »handles often Húna external.
Begin opening subtitled: Why do not we should care about the most
resented country a lack of responsibility in the world of the United
States?
He adds: «If there were an award for foreign policy, the most a lack of
responsibility, surely it would give to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ..
But whatever one thinks of the deal the Obama administration with the
region, it is certain that another criterion for judging the American
foreign policy should be how to accept each Saud her! ».
And transmits Zakaria for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
also came in a document leaked by the site «Wikileaks» in December 2009
that Saudi Arabia remains «the financial base of the core of terrorism»
and that Riyadh has taken limited action only «to stop the flow of funds
to the Taliban and other groups have similar».
As Stuart Levey, was in charge of high-grade in the financial, conveys him Zakaria said that in 2007 the channel «AB C»:
«If I could extend my fingers and cut off the funding from one country,
it would be Saudi Arabia .. It is the state most responsible for the
rise of Islamic extremism and militancy in all parts of the world.
Over the past four decades has been to use its vast oil wealth in the
Kingdom to ensure the export picture extremist and intolerant and
violent Islam through its clergy Wahhabis ».
Zakaria quotes from Justice Minister Iqbal Haider former Pakistani
general was quoted as saying in the «2012» «whether they are Taliban or
Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Saudi Wahhabi ideology is without doubt». The «There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia supports Wahhabi groups in all parts of Pakistan».
Fareed Zakaria concludes by saying:
Whatever the reason, let's recognize that Saudi Arabia really angry
from the United States, but are we sure that this is an indication that
Washington is doing wrong?
Although the attack Fareed Zakaria against Saudi Arabia was the most
exciting, but the commentators opine and columnists are influential in
many American newspapers big voiced strong criticism against the Saudi
policy of Foreign Affairs wrote individual Kaplan «Fred Kaplan» known
writer published an article under the title: «grumpy Royal ».
In the introduction to the article linking Kaplan differences Saudi
Arabia with the Obama administration's weak position in the Kingdom of
the world to save to say that Obama should clarify «Saudis» to our
interests in the Middle East will not be voluntarily to the wishes of
the royal family or linked fate ».
Turn deploy Doug Pando «Doug Bandow» on site Huffington Post published
an article strongly criticizing the Saudi royal family, Pando scholar at
the Cato Institute «CATO» and worked in the Reagan administration as
special assistant to the president and which reads in part:
«The Saudis are angry because, according to their view, the U.S.
administration does not support enough of tyranny and war in the Middle
East».
And confounds the writer claims the Saudis diligence on the Syrian
people who are exposed to the slaughter weapons chemical at the hands of
Assad «and expression here to Turki al-Faisal», which is what he was
able to do it not for the decline in the U.S. President for punishing
him because it exceeded the «red line» set by Obama himself, and
mentions Doug Bando family Saudi royal they are the same that supported
Saddam Hussein in his war of aggression against Iran, which has been
used chemical weapons and the cost of this war nearly a million lives,
to save to say, but the slaughter of masses of people in great by an
ally of the status quo at the time does not mean much for the family
Sunni Saudi royal, but the important thing is to defeat a Shiite
Islamist regime «Iran».
On the campaign conducted by the Saudis to influence the corridors of
the decision in Washington and push them to work with them more closely
to meet the desires and apparently did not succeed in that, says Pando:
«but should not be for Americans to feel concerned about the frustration
that haunt elites Arabia window and usual to buy whatever you want,
because they no longer can afford to buy services and Washington easily
.. Instead the Obama administration should be saying to America's
foreign friends that Washington is working for the interests of the
American people and not corrupt dictators ».
He concludes his article by saying Doug Bando:
«President Obama deserves congratulations for refusing to bias American
policy to be adapted to the whims of the royal family in Riyadh.
You may not be able to stop Saudis and Washington for the promotion of
tyranny and war, but it certainly should not be the United States to
help them in their quest ».
America is inevitable
Lengthened
the list of objectors to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia among the American
elite and different walks, and striking sharp tone used by many of the
critics against ally supposed to bind «special relationship» United
States Of these, government officials, former worked in previous
administrations, even if some of them calculated on the Republican Party
and has a lot of criticism against the Obama administration, such as
Korean imminent «Kori Schake» that ran several sites in the Pentagon and
the National Security Council and State Department in addition to their
strong participation in the Presidential campaign of Republican
candidate John McCain in the general «in 2008» published her article in
the journal Foreign Policy «FP» under the title: Saudi Arabia is happy. So what?
Chic says:
«But the Saudis to be unhappy is not a sign That U.S. policy is wrong. The wrong policies of the Obama administration, but not for the Reasons or methods which condemns them Saudis. carrying
The U.S. policies to conform with Saudi Arabia Likely create a Middle
East to a lesser extent appropriate to the interests of the United
States, which spoiled the Obama administration ».
And complement check says:
«The Saudis want a Middle East that is different from what we are doing
.. Saudis oppose democracy .. they are opposed to freedom of the press
.. they are opposed to freedom of belief and practice of Islam outside
.. They are opposed to women's equality before the law .. They are
opposed to the idea that individuals have rights and Akarzounam in
certain ways and purposes specific governments ».
«Saudis are not opposed to only the core values of American society, but they financed some of the most virulent jihadists».
«The Saudis want the Americans to support jihadists in Syria and the
return of power to the deep state in Egypt« model they would like to
Tapedh across the region »».
And after he was the writer of the possibilities that may go to Riyadh
in opposition to the Obama administration and the appreciation of the
risks that may result from these options offer her advice to the Obama
administration's borrowing words «red line» of the president himself,
but this time particularly the Saudis, saying:
«If there is a red line from President Obama makes a credible, so he
was ready to abandon the countries that depend on US assistance».
Options Arabia about the United States:
Away
from the bustle That accompanied the sharp escalation in tension in the
relations between Riyadh and Washington, a careful reading of the fact
That the partnership between the two Parties Clearly Indicate That this
unequal partnership. Saudi Arabia
is the weaker party in this relationship, which is not in a position to
dictate the conditions, and therefore the limited choices that were not
non-existent.
According to this perspective, is quoted as saying, Prince Bandar bin
Sultan for his country's determination to reduce the level of relations
with the United States under the title because they do not want anymore
to find itself in a position of dependency «Washington», in addition to
the threat launched by Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf, the Saudi ambassador
in Britain over an article he wrote in The New York Times «December 17»
that all «options are available» in front of his country, this kind of
statement is just words will not measure up in any way to the level of
acts, since it is difficult for the kingdom, which has maintained a
strong alliance with the United States for decades to find for itself a
strong alternative alliances with such ease.
So what are the options available in front of the royal family in Saudi Arabia?
This alternative powers are limited in both China and Russia, the EU
and the latter is a loose grouping of states between the 28 can be noted
in this regard to France and Britain.
China: without doubt that Saudi relations China has experienced rapid
growth in recent years, starting from the year 2009 exceeded the Saudi
exports of oil to China, those to the United States for up to 1.2
million barrels per day to represent 21 percent of the total , and
China's oil imports from the world At the very least, and coincided with
the rise of Chinese investment in Saudi Arabia in various fields, worth
mentioning that the Chinese construction companies is that girl system
of rail transport pilgrims in Mecca.
But it does not seem that the growing economic ties between Riyadh and
Beijing consistent at the political level, and the possibility of the
development of political relations, Chinese Arabia Akhvvh stance
conflicting towards the Syrian crisis, and the tension in the province
«Syquiang» Muslim -majority in China, keep a note of caution with the
Chinese leadership toward the Saudi Arabian royal family, in addition to
the close ties that combine Beijing and Tehran that would raise
suspicion and anxiety of the rulers of Riyadh.
Russia: Unlike China, Russia oil exporter, has exceeded the daily
production of oil in late 2013, Saudi production and turn out to be the
first country oil producer in the world 10.38 million barrels per day
compared to 9.35 million barrels of Saudi Arabia, and therefore the
economic relations between Moscow and Riyadh closer them to compete
interdependence.
However, the Saudis wishing to diversify their relationships, are
interested in Russia as a source for the supply of arms, and this is
what has been talking about it in two visits by They their Prince Bandar
bin Sultan to Moscow in the second half of last year in 2013, as there
is a planned visit will be conducted by Deputy Secretary of Defense
Saudi Sulaiman bin Sultan to Moscow in order to finalize deals arms with
Russia, estimated by some sources that the value of proposed deals of
up to 12 billion dollars in addition to what the newspaper reported,
«Alcolmersant» near the sources of the decision in the Kremlin for the
approval of Saudi Arabia to finance the deal Russian arms to Egypt worth
nearly two billion dollars.
Of course, the leadership of Saudi Arabia accounts for the adopting
«carrot» with Moscow perhaps succeed Bagraha to move away from Damascus,
but after the long years of the war in Chechnya and terrorist
operations that accompanied and which affected the targets of Russian
make it difficult to bridge the deep chasm between Moscow and Riyadh.
France and Britain:
The rest of France and Britain at the forefront of this «options»
according to «Nawaf Obaid» Saudi government adviser, relations with
Britain ancient As with France, they are these days at their best, not
least because of arms deals held by Riyadh with Paris in October last
visited French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Derian «Jean Yves Le Drian»
Kingdom and his visit is the third since he took office in May 2012,
said in his recent visit: «that there is convergence of views between
Saudi Arabia and France on the crises regional president, led the
Iranian nuclear file and the Syrian crisis ».
According to the latest report submitted to the French parliament for
arms exports, Saudi Arabia remains the first customer to France during
the period from 2003 2014 with nearly 7 billion euros of contracts ahead
of India and Brazil.
Where to turn US-Saudi relations?
After that the Saudis have exhausted everything they can to get the
message to the United States and the world to express their discontent
bitter toward the Obama administration and policies of the Middle East,
the question that arises automatically:
Saudis precisely what he wants ... and to what extent it can go away from Washington?
It
is no secret that the Saudis may bet on US military intervention
directly in Syria as a prelude to topple Bashar al-Assad, and the fall
of this alleged war on Syria within the great confrontation that Saudis
against Iran, where counting is always in this confrontation on the
Americans because they can not stand up against Iran, This raises the
bitterness with the former US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said:
«that the Saudis want to fight until the last Iranian Americans».
But the signing of the nuclear agreement, the interim between Western
powers and Iran was a worst-case scenario for the Saudis as a result of
fear that leads the likelihood of convergence Iranian American to end
the isolation of Iran, which tried to impose upon the United States in
the wake of the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979, and this
provided a rare opportunity for Saudi Saudi Arabia's emergence as a
pivotal role in the Gulf, from here, the most nightmares and weight of
the Saudis is the perception of the restoration of the regional equation
that existed in the seventies of the last century, where Iran has
played the role of protecting power key in the Gulf region with the
consent of the United States, leaving to Saudi Arabia, the role of
junior partner within that arrangement .
There is no alternative to Saudi Arabia for the United States:
But after that shaken the confidence of the Saudi royal family in
Washington and expressed outrage as hard as they can, you go Saudis away
from the United States?
Is not likely to happen, they do not have anywhere else to go to the Saudis as joking more than US analyst.
As
Robert Jordan, former US ambassador to the Riyadh «2001-2003» says «no
country in the world able to provide protection for their oil fields and
their economy more than the United States, and the Saudis are aware of
that, you will not see them out of the American astronomer ». Jordan
adds: «will contact the Russians and the Chinese more than in the past,
I've headed to by others in search of weapons and we will see more of
that, but the general atmosphere will be centered around the United
States ».
Of course, pose France a «options», as noted above, but it should not
be exaggerated never in it, and in the words of Ian Black «Ian Black» in
«The Guardian» «last December»: «the notion that China or France could
solve any of them replace the US at the moment is just nonsense Fiction
».
We are facing a deep relationship and the tangle of different aspects,
where it is restructuring the Saudi army and air force modeled on the US
Army, which provides them with huge amounts of weapons in addition to
the support and training, and the Kingdom's economy is closely linked to
the United States of America, so that any serious attempt to disengage
in the long term will be expensive and difficult.
The Review «quick to the types of projects carried out by the Americans
in the kingdom and the size of the contracts that they have struck
refers to the links that are difficult disengagement of them between the
two parties, for example, there is close cooperation between the
security forces and the US military and the military powers Saudi Arabia
and does not have any party of them the motivation to give up this
partnership, as the Americans are preparing and training forces the
Saudi National Guard, a security force internal key to the Saudi regime
as they are doing it since 1977, and performing the same tasks in the
establishment of security facilities for a squad of 35 thousand element
in the National Guard and being deployed to protect oil facilities and
desalination plants and stations energy and other vital facilities in
the country.
The value of purchases of arms and military services requested by the
Saudis from the United States in recent years seems figures fictional
amounting to 60 billion dollars, including 34 billion dollars is the
total sales of US arms to Saudi Arabia only in the year 2012, an
increase equivalent to ten times the sales in 2011, and recently came up
with the US Department of Defense Congress of its intention to conclude
an arms deal to the kingdom worth 6.8 billion dollars.
Can you overcome the tension in relations between Riyadh and Washington?
Should not be taken statements by Saudi officials against the United
States as a sign of them reflect planning to give up the strategic
partnership with Washington, especially in the midst of great changes
taking place in the region, so is that of the Saudi campaign it is
targeting pressure to influence the US policies that do not like Riyadh,
Considering that what is happening now between the two allies expressed
contradictory visions of the regional shifts do not have the Saudi
leadership to impose its will not be delayed allies .. sooner or later
to overcome their differences, because the decline in the Saudis about
their relationship with the United States of America that would cost
them dearly.
Safir newspaper
No comments:
Post a Comment