The Saudi-Israel War: The Case for a New Look at the Biden-Region-Saudi Relations in the Light of the Fist Bump
Officials said at the time they had made major progress in ending the war in Yemen, which the Saudis had helped prosecute, and moved incrementally toward eventual Saudi recognition of Israel. The Saudi decision to support the oil output cut by the OPEC and its allies marked a further step in the strategic distance between the two historic partners.
The interactions between the crown prince and Mr. Biden have been played out since the start of the Biden administration. But it was never clearer than in recent months, when Mr. Biden and his aides argued that the time had come to reset the relationship. That’s what the fist bump symbolized. And the apparent Saudi agreement to increase oil output to help bring down global prices was part of the quid pro quo.
Prince Mohammed is cultivating better international relationships, notably with China and Russia. He understands that Saudi Arabia is a key ally of the United States, and that he is willing to ignore any demands that are contrary to Saudi interests.
Wednesday’s cuts showed that the effects of that reset had been short-lived, or that the Saudis did not consider the benefits of helping the United States after Mr. Biden’s visit enough to continue the favor.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/05/us/politics/opec-biden-saudi-arabia.html
The Cost of Chaos: The Case of Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Comes Back Bergen in the Shadows of a State Visit to China
It is political. It has nothing to do with money,” said Cinzia Bianco, a Gulf research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Peter Bergen is a national security analyst for CNN, a vice president at New America, and a professor of practice at Arizona State University. Bergen is the author of “The Cost of Chaos: The Trump Administration and the World.” His own views are expressed in this commentary. You can add your opinion on CNN.
The timing could not have been sweeter for Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. A US judge granted the immunity to the Crown Prince just as he was about to arrive in Saudi Arabia, in time for a state visit from the President of China.
The Saudi Crown Prince, who was known by his initials MBs, was a pariah on the international stage in the aftermath of the murder of a journalist at the Saudi embassy in Istanbul. Bin Laden denied that he ordered the killing.
On Tuesday, that calculation proved prescient. A US judge dismissed a case against MBS for conspiring to kill Khashoggi, saying he had head-of-state immunity. The judge also noted that there were allegations that Prince Mohammed had a role in the assassination of journalist, columnist and critic, Mr. Khashoggi.
It was a major step in the road to international rehabilitation. And all as he now plays host to Xi and other leaders from across the Middle East and North Africa for a Chinese-Arab summit; the memory of Khashoggi receding further into the shadows.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/07/opinions/xi-jinping-saudi-arabia-mbs-comeback-bergen/index.html
What does the Crown Prince Xi and Mohammed Bin Sasso really need? A simple recipe for a revolution of riches, riches, and power
When the leader of the world’s most populous autocracy breaks bread with the de facto ruler of arguably the world’s most absolute monarchy, they won’t be communing to swap tips about how best to run a repressive regime; their top agenda item is simple. Oil.
Xi faces many problems at home; his zero-Covid policy has been relaxed after it provoked the most widespread protest movement in China in decades. But not before it damaged the Chinese economy, where youth unemployment hit almost 20%. The Chinese property market makes up 25% of the economy.
China is the world’s largest oil importer, and to help reboot its economy Xi needs oil — and a lot of it. The source of China’s largest oil imports is Saudi Arabia. Xi and MBS’s marriage of convenience is made over a barrel of oil.
One of the worst humanitarian catastrophes in the world occurred because of the war in Yemen that Saudi Arabia began before the murder of journalist and dissident, journalist and activist, journalist and activist, journalist and activist, journalist and activist, journalist and activist, journalist and activist, journalist and activist, journalist
More than one hundred Saudi businessmen and other prominent citizens were imprisoned at the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh, on corruption charges, freeing them of more than $100 billion.
And he led several Arab states to impose an embargo on Saudi Arabia’s gas-rich neighbor Qatar, which is home to the largest US military base in the Middle East. Under his watch, perceived political opponents have been routinely imprisoned.
The Crown Prince and Putin both made common cause. Although Biden visited the kingdom of Saudi Arabia this summer, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting nations slashed oil production last month. It is a way to keep oil prices low, which in turn contributes to high inflation in the United States and Europe.
Finally, despite a past punishing blockade on neighboring Qatar, MBS even had a spot in the World Cup VIP section alongside Qatari monarch Tamim Al-Thani when the tournament kicked off last month.
Five years have passed since the murder of the journalist, who will be marked next year. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince has gone from pariah to the go-to insider for the world’s leaders.