What does America want from Saudi Arabia? ‏

Written by: Dr. Amani Qurum
A great debate among the American elite about the course of the relationship between Washington and Riyadh and the dialectic of choosing between interest and democratic values, after US President Joe Biden confirmed his planned visit to the Middle East next month, during which he will visit Saudi Arabia, after his promises during his election campaign to make the Saudi state a "pariah" because of Her record in the field of human rights and the case of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. While the visit was justified inside the US as to attend an international meeting that brings together the six Gulf states in addition to Egypt and Iraq, and denied the occurrence of a single bilateral meeting with the Kingdom's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. ‏
A severe coldness afflicted Saudi-American relations during Biden's two years in power, accompanied by intense media campaigns against Riyadh. Biden did not appoint an American ambassador to Riyadh, and allowed the release of an intelligence report blaming the Saudi leadership for the killing of the Saudi journalist, retracted the Houthis’ classification on the terrorist list, and reduced military support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, in conjunction with a rush towards restoring relations with Iran.
It is not the first time that the Saudi-American relationship has faced these bumps. Since the events of September 11, 2001, Saudi Arabia has been making relentless efforts and attempts to prove its fight against terrorism, improve its image in the United States, and pave its way towards social and political openness to the world. However, the case of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi sparked once again the controversy over the relationship between the two countries and raised the voice of allegations and human rights claims in Saudi Arabia. Is it possible to drop eighty years of the unique strategic partnership between them for the sake of human rights and democracy issues? Is it possible that the human rights file in Saudi Arabia is the decisive factor in the relationship between the two countries, and that the issue of Khashoggi’s killing is the one that dominates the specter of relations? The Khashoggi case took place during Trump’s era, which was evident in his slogan, “I am a friend of whoever pays.” Saudi Arabia paid billions of dollars at the time. And every day America proves that it does not oppose dictators, but on the contrary loves them and supports their regimes. ‏
And Saudi Arabia today is against Iran.. and against terrorism.. and the file of relations with Israel is open and progressing.. modernity and openness are at their peak in the country of Hijaz.. isn't this what America wants?? So why do you continue to criticize and pressure Saudi Arabia and stir up this great debate about relations with it? ‏
The possible reasons are many and mixed, and they are the same that make the Americans return to Saudi Arabia every time they feel sorry for them.. The Kingdom’s importance to the United States is greater than an issue determined by a file such as human rights: Perhaps the Trump administration’s condoning of the Khashoggi murder has doubled the Biden administration’s criticism of Saudi Arabia To satisfy the progressives in the Democratic Party on the one hand, and to reverse Trump's policies on the other hand. Perhaps attempts to make the Saudi political decision independent and change the Saudi defense doctrine have become a matter that annoys Washington. And perhaps also a method of pressure to publicly include Saudi Arabia in the path of normalization with Israel, because of its great political symbolism.. ‏
But what is certain is the repercussions of the Ukrainian-Russian war, the rise in oil prices, and the increase in inflation.. So who owns the key to global oil, taming global oil prices, and reducing the cost of gas.. It is Saudi Arabia.. and it is oil, and if oil is fine, then everything is fine..

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