America’s Dual View on Relations with Saudi Arabia

2022/04/28 | Note, political, top news

Strategic Council Online - Opinion: Given the socio-political structure of Saudi Arabia, from the US point of view, relations with that country are formed and maintained as an alliance based on coercion and geopolitical interests rather than on the basis of values and interests. Pouria Nabipour - PhD in political science and international relations

In the power struggle within the royal family and the consolidation of regional status, the kingdom will need the US support. The United States seems to be seeking a balance between the US interests and the values ​​it claims to represent in relation to Saudi Arabia; in other words, the United States will continue to advance its geostrategic interests, even if the future governments of the United States temporarily pay more attention to democracy and human rights. The Middle East has always been one of the challenges of the US foreign policy and is at the forefront of the geostrategic landscape; but in recent years, it has become clear that since Barack Obama began turning to Asia and saying that Asia is more important than the Middle East, the United States has sought to reduce its resources to the region; the policy that Trump also pursued, and now Biden has partially consolidated this policy with the withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan; but the future of the relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia can be examined on the basis of the theory of realism and constructivism.

1- Realism view

From the point of view of realism, the United States seeks to preserve regional and international interests and maintain the alliance of the United States and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia’s strategic position in the Middle East, its vast wealth, oil resources and position in the global energy market, its role in pushing for peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis are all factors that necessitate a strategic alliance with the country. The most important issue of the region in recent years has undoubtedly been Iran from the point of view of the United States; an issue that the United States and Saudi Arabia need each other to address. The issue of Iran is so important that, in fact, an important part of the United States’ relations with the Persian Gulf kingdoms, especially Saudi Arabia, is centered over the idea of ​​restraining Iran.

But in terms of realism, what worries the US officials is proximity of Riyadh to Russia and China, at least on issues of vital importance to Washington. Meanwhile, the current Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wants to be recognized before anything else as the current ruler of Saudi Arabia and the future king of the country. However, it seems that Riyadh will continue to maintain its weight in the United States, and will remain as a key player despite the differences.

2- Social constructivism view

In recent years, the US presidents have made it clearer that the Saudi monarch must address human rights abuses in that country as a precondition for interaction with the United States. This view, which also has a special focus on the role of common culture and values, attaches great importance to issues related to human rights and adherence to values ​​and its central role in the evaluation of international relations.

From the human rights perspective, it can be argued that Saudi Arabia’s interests are often at odds with those of the United States, as the two value systems rarely match with each other.

Despite regional cooperation between Riyadh and Washington, the Saudi government has never been able to respond to public opinion on the human rights, freedom of expression, and extremism (Saudi Wahhabism) that has aroused radicalism throughout the Middle East for years. Therefore, it can be expected that even if Saudi Arabia remains important for the interests of the United States in the region, this will not protect it from criticism, especially of human rights violations. It also underscores the contradictions that have long existed at the heart of US-Saudi relations, turning it into an alliance based on coercion and geopolitical interests rather than on the basis of values ​​and interests.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

LATEST CONTENT

Zionist Regime’s Post-War Map for Gaza

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Middle East issues said: After nearly 150 days have passed since the attacks of Israeli planes on Gaza and the unprecedented genocide in this city, regional and international efforts to end the Gaza crisis have intensified.

Reasons for Inaction & Inefficiency of Intl Organizations in Providing Aid to Gaza

Strategic Council Online: An expert on regional issues said: With the start of the Gaza war, many major powers and international organizations not only did not take honest action to support the defenseless Palestinian people, but instead, with their support for the actions of the Zionist regime, they caused their crimes to increase over the past five months.

France and the Two-State Solution in Occupied Territories

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on regional issues said: The announcement of France’s agreement with the formation of two states in the Occupied Territories is a measure to raise the international image of France and reduce domestic pressure on the Macron government for inaction against the Israeli crimes in Gaza.

The Prospect of US Military Withdrawal from Iraq

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Although most currents, politicians and even ordinary people in Iraq call for withdrawal of American military forces from their country, there are sometimes differences of opinion regarding the time of this withdrawal. On the one hand, Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, the Prime Minister of Iraq, is very serious in demanding the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. Still, he wants to achieve this goal through “negotiation and political deal”. On the other hand, the Iraqi Resistance groups want the Americans to leave this country as soon as possible. The American side is also talking about a military withdrawal from Iraq in the next three years.

Russia’s Multifaceted Relations with Neighbors

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert said: After Russia attacked Ukraine two years ago, the country’s relations with some of its European neighbors were severely disturbed in such a way that a clear future cannot be imagined for it.

Solution to Get Out of FATF Blacklist and Get Rid of Its Heavy Costs?

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The Financial Action Task Force, FATF, announced on Friday, February 23, that the name of the Islamic Republic of Iran remains on the “blacklist” of this international organization. A decision that was not unexpected for the authorities of our country. According to the Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, one day before the release of the FATF statement, due to the current sanctions, Iran is looking for its own FATF, as it uses other tools instead of SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications). On this basis, it seems that while the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon were removed from the “Grey List” of FATF in the previous reviews in June 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran is not trying to be exempted from the blacklist. But what kind of organization is FATF, and why are some in Iran against joining it? And what is the way out of this situation?

Loading

Últimas publicaciones

Zionist Regime’s Post-War Map for Gaza

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Middle East issues said: After nearly 150 days have passed since the attacks of Israeli planes on Gaza and the unprecedented genocide in this city, regional and international efforts to end the Gaza crisis have intensified.

Reasons for Inaction & Inefficiency of Intl Organizations in Providing Aid to Gaza

Strategic Council Online: An expert on regional issues said: With the start of the Gaza war, many major powers and international organizations not only did not take honest action to support the defenseless Palestinian people, but instead, with their support for the actions of the Zionist regime, they caused their crimes to increase over the past five months.

France and the Two-State Solution in Occupied Territories

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on regional issues said: The announcement of France’s agreement with the formation of two states in the Occupied Territories is a measure to raise the international image of France and reduce domestic pressure on the Macron government for inaction against the Israeli crimes in Gaza.

The Prospect of US Military Withdrawal from Iraq

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Although most currents, politicians and even ordinary people in Iraq call for withdrawal of American military forces from their country, there are sometimes differences of opinion regarding the time of this withdrawal. On the one hand, Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, the Prime Minister of Iraq, is very serious in demanding the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. Still, he wants to achieve this goal through “negotiation and political deal”. On the other hand, the Iraqi Resistance groups want the Americans to leave this country as soon as possible. The American side is also talking about a military withdrawal from Iraq in the next three years.

Russia’s Multifaceted Relations with Neighbors

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert said: After Russia attacked Ukraine two years ago, the country’s relations with some of its European neighbors were severely disturbed in such a way that a clear future cannot be imagined for it.

Solution to Get Out of FATF Blacklist and Get Rid of Its Heavy Costs?

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The Financial Action Task Force, FATF, announced on Friday, February 23, that the name of the Islamic Republic of Iran remains on the “blacklist” of this international organization. A decision that was not unexpected for the authorities of our country. According to the Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, one day before the release of the FATF statement, due to the current sanctions, Iran is looking for its own FATF, as it uses other tools instead of SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications). On this basis, it seems that while the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon were removed from the “Grey List” of FATF in the previous reviews in June 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran is not trying to be exempted from the blacklist. But what kind of organization is FATF, and why are some in Iran against joining it? And what is the way out of this situation?

Loading