Democrats on Capitol Hill have suggested transferring US weapons systems in Saudi Arabia to Ukraine and suspending a planned transfer of Patriot missiles to Riyadh in the wake of what they call a “turning point” in Washington’s relationship with the kingdom, The Guardian revealed earlier this week.
The paper quoted Ro Khanna, a Democratic congressman from California who is a leading supporter of a weapons freeze, as saying that “at the very least” Congress would move to halt the transfer of Patriot missiles to the kingdom, and probably pause other defence initiatives.
Saudi national security at risk
While lawmakers like him have long advocated for a tougher response to Saudi on human rights grounds, Khanna said the Opec+ move had galvanized members across Congress.
Khanna said tensions had reached a boiling point that was comparable to US sentiment following the murder of the Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“This is a second moment like Khashoggi’s murder. I believe it is a total miscalculation by the Saudis,” he told The Guardian, adding that there was still time for the kingdom to change course.
Pressed on whether Democrats were likely to move beyond rhetoric, Khanna pointed to recent comments by his colleague Robert Menendez, a Democratic senator who as chairman of the foreign relations committee said he was prepared to halt Saudi weapons sales.
“At the very least, the Patriot missiles will be suspended,” he said. “The fact that Menendez has spoken out means that at a minimum it is going to happen.”
US decides to take revenge
Bloomberg also pointed out that an escalating public dispute over oil between the Biden administration and Saudi Arabia risks causing irreparable harm to US relations with the crucial Mideast partner.
The paper further said that some members of Congress are growing more impatient, looking at arms sales as an important way to exact retribution whether the White House wants to or not.
Bloomberg quoted Kori Schake, director of foreign and defence policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, as affirming that “the relationship is likely unrecoverable” between the two ex-allies.
Along the same line, the Middle East Monitor said in a new report issued this week that Saudi Arabia risked US wrath when the petroleum producers decided to cut output, even after the Biden administration sought to stay OPEC's hand for a month with an eye on US midterm elections.
The report stated that “they (the Saudis) believe the Americans cannot go far in punishing Saudi Arabia, so this is a battle of wills and sovereign decision-making,” adding that the Saudis calculated they could absorb “limited” US retaliation options.
According to the report, the US-Saudi rift is widening as Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, flags his country's – and his own – importance on the world stage.
Ties were already frayed by Biden's stance on the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, the Yemen war and, more recently, by the US delay, after Prince Mohammed was named Prime Minister, in granting him status-based immunity in a US lawsuit on the Khashoggi killing.
The report concluded by stressing that Riyadh is aware it cannot easily diversify arms supplies for its military, which has been overwhelmingly equipped and trained by the United States ever since the two countries forged their mutually beneficial relationship in 1945.
US decision implications on Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is subject to Houthi attacks and others believed to be Iranian. Saudi military sites, airports and vital places, including Aramco oil company, were directly targeted during the attacks.
Saudi Arabia highly relies on US Patriot missiles to counter such attacks. However, shifting these weapons from Saudi Arabia to Ukraine would really threaten the Saudi national security.
Know more about US Patriot missile system
US Patriot missile system is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, the primary of its kind used by the United States Army and several allied states. It is manufactured by the U.S. defence contractor Raytheon and derives its name from the radar component of the weapon system. Patriot uses an advanced aerial interceptor missile and high-performance radar systems.
The Patriot missile system has been deployed in many situations because it is able to shoot down enemy missiles (e.g., Scud missiles) and protect soldiers and civilians from a missile attack.
The Patriot missile system uses its ground-based radar to find, identify and track the targets just in nine seconds. An incoming missile could be 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) away when the Patriot's radar locks onto it.
