When it came to dealing with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Donald Trump was the most forthright and transparent US president. The speaker’s words could give the impression that he was purposefully disparaging the history, sanctity, government, and populace of the Kingdom, but this is not the case. The man was expressing the reality of US policy toward the region, particularly the Gulf States and Saudi Arabia.
“We protect Saudi Arabia. Would you say they’re rich? And I love the king, King Salman. But I said ‘King – we’re protecting you – you might not be there for two weeks without us – you have to pay for your military,’”
These are some of the statements that Trump made while he was aware of their objectives and reality, having knowledge of the corruption of rule that the Saudi regime imposes on its people, as well as the state of injustice, dictatorship, and plundering of money and wealth that it carries out. Thus, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with all its blessings, has turned into a panacea for the American ruling family as well as a forbidden good for the masses, who are currently moaning due to high taxes and prices.
Obama acted in that manner:
Though he was the most forthright and direct, the issue did not end with Trump. Former President Barack Obama stated in an interview that “he cannot sacrifice US soldiers in order to protect the Saudi regime, and that if Saudis have differences with Iran, they must resolve them through dialogue.”
In the same interview, Obama addressed the threats that the Saudi regime actually fears, saying, “I see that the main threat to the Al Saud regime is from within, from the people of the Kingdom.” Put an end to the threat and permit the Saudi government to mend fences with these people.”
The Saudi regime, which was paying handsomely for this protection, saw these remarks as an obvious challenge to its throne and a US betrayal. Fear among the Al Saud grew at that point, but when Trump arrived, it subsided because he dealt with them directly. They reached a deal: U.S. military protection in exchange for access to Saudi oil reserves.
MBS realized that in Trump he had what he was looking for, and once he had gained control of the situation, he gave him carte blanche to keep quiet about his human rights violations, including the killing of Khashoggi in the consulate and the imprisonment of scores of others in detention facilities. In other words, Trump milked the situation, but in the end, he managed to scare MBS and prevent the Houthis from using their missiles to reach Aramco.
Joe Biden continues in the footsteps of his forebears:
Upon Joe Biden’s arrival and his declaration of an American break with Saudi Arabia, particularly with the Crown Prince, over what he described as upholding human rights and discouraging autocrats, MBS showered him with public funds and made arms purchases that exceeded the nation’s budget. Then Biden declared that the embargo would gradually be lifted on the Kingdom. Thus, he cleared the path for the heedless, fixated, autocratic young man.
Understanding the game that America has been playing since ancient times, Biden discovered that trade in the name of rights and values would not help because America is the country that is most deserving of the Saudi unaccountable wealth and money. So, he adopted Trump and Obama’s strategy of milking the cash cow.
In spite of all of this, Biden removed the Houthis from the terrorist lists, withdrawn Patriot and THAAD drones, and anti-air missiles. As a result, the Saudi regime was forced to look to Greece for alternatives to make up for what it had lost.
Israel is not the answer:
Now that MBS knew he was no longer protected and that his fall was simple, if not imminent, he started searching for a different course of action. He decided to lie down before Israel on the bed of betrayal and promised to negotiate a peace treaty and achieve gradual normalization, but he ruined his plan when the Al-Aqsa flood emerged. In a protest, he declared his support for Israel, the war on the Palestinian resistance, and the Palestinian cause as a whole.
But given how strong and unwavering the resistance has been, it is unclear if turning back or continuing down the path of betrayal is possible.
All of these options did not change the reality that the US exhausted the Kingdom and took away its resources, that MBS was now stripped of protection, and that Israel is not the answer for the reckless young man.
Do we anticipate a change coming soon in Saudi Arabia? And of what kind?
