The United States considers the stability of its relationship with Saudi Arabia as a vital interest. Since the fall of the Shah of Iran in 1979, Saudi Arabia's vast oil resources and its ability to control the whims of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has been key to American policy in the region. The access to Saudi oil has led to American involvement as pseudo-allies of Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988, and later as defenders of the Kingdom in Operation Desert Shield in 1990 following the Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait. However, things have changed in what Middle East insiders call "The Magic Kingdom."
Key changes
Since the end of the Persian Gulf War in 1991, King (his actual title is "Keeper of the the Two Holy Mosques") Fahd's health has deteriorated steadily. Most of the political decisions in the kingdom are being made by Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister 'Abdullah bin 'Abd Al-'Aziz Al Sa'ud. 'Abdullah is half-brother to the king and has been heir to the throne since 1982.
Assuming that 'Abdullah is named to succeed King Fahd, the close relationship between Washington and Riyadh may cool. Fahd is the latest in a line of pro-Western Saudi monarchs who have used the country's immense oil reserves to maintain stable oil prices. These stable oil prices and access to Saudi oil are key U.S. national interests. For this price stability, Saudi Arabia has been assured that the military power of the United States is available to protect the kingdom.
'Abdullah, however, is much less enamored of the United States than his predecessors. It was 'Abdullah that refused to allow U.S. forces to use Saudi airfields during Operation Desert Fox against Iraq in December 1998. (For more information on 'Abdullah, see Saudi Arabia's Abdullah - The Man Who Will Be King.)
As the war on terrorism began, Saudi reliability as an ally was called into question as they refused to allow the United States to use the huge Prince Sultan Air Base outside Riyadh for attacks on Taliban and Al-Qa'idah positions in Afghanistan. While they have allowed limited use of a command center at the base, it is a far cry from the "We stand with you, America" claim in the ads.
Go To Page: 1 2
