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Obama’s visit to ally Saudi Arabia shadowed by tensions with the kingdom Obama’s visit to ally Saudi Arabia shadowed by tensions with the kingdom
(about 1 hour later)
RIYADH — President Obama has visited Saudi Arabia more often than any of his predecessors, but his fourth trip to the kingdom on Wednesday seemed less a sign of the strength of the relationship than of its perilous nature. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Obama has visited Saudi Arabia more often than any of his predecessors, but his fourth trip to the kingdom on Wednesday seemed less a sign of the strength of the relationship than of its perilous nature.
Obama is scheduled to meet with Saudi King Salman and then take part in a regional meeting Thursday with the United States’ Gulf Arab allies. But the backdrop to the visit is a broad recognition that the U.S.-Saudi alliance, long built around oil and security, appears to be in flux and that neither side seems certain what they want out of it. Obama met first with Saudi King Salman, and on Thursday he will take part in a regional meeting with the United States’ Arab allies in the Persian Gulf. But the backdrop to the visit is a broad recognition that the U.S.-Saudi alliance, long built around oil and security, appears to be in flux and that neither side seems certain what they want out of it.
Obama and the Saudi leaders have diverged sharply at times over how to calm the sectarian tensions roiling the region, how to resolve civil wars in Yemen and Syria, and how to deal with Iran’s influence.Obama and the Saudi leaders have diverged sharply at times over how to calm the sectarian tensions roiling the region, how to resolve civil wars in Yemen and Syria, and how to deal with Iran’s influence.
[Saudi Arabia: No evidence to support claims by 9/11 families][Saudi Arabia: No evidence to support claims by 9/11 families]
Adding to those tensions is the recently resurrected specter of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and long-classified documents from a congressional report that suggest that the Saudis may have played a role in the attack. Adding to those tensions is the recently resurrected specter of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and long-classified documents from a congressional report suggesting that the Saudis may have played a role in the attacks.
A bill that could make Saudi Arabia liable for any role in the terrorist attacks is drawing support from both Republicans and Democrats, even as the Obama administration has lobbied against it. In Saudi Arabia, senior officials are furious about the possible revival of a matter they thought had been settled long ago.A bill that could make Saudi Arabia liable for any role in the terrorist attacks is drawing support from both Republicans and Democrats, even as the Obama administration has lobbied against it. In Saudi Arabia, senior officials are furious about the possible revival of a matter they thought had been settled long ago.
Obama said his director of national intelligence is reviewing the 28 classified pages from the 9/11 Commission report to see whether they can be released. But in an interview with CBS News, the cautioned that the material offered no firm conclusions. Saudi officials have repeatedly said that no senior officials were involved in the attacks. Obama was greeted by the Saudi king at the entrance of Erga Palace, and the two walked side by side through an ornate hallway, adorned with enormous crystal chandeliers and paintings of Saudi leaders.
Fifteen of the 19 hijackers on Sept. 11 were Saudi citizens, but Saudi officials have denied any knowledge of the planning that took place in Afghanistan and elsewhere under Osama bin Laden, who led al-Qaeda at the time. “The American people send their greetings, and we are very grateful for your hospitality,” said Obama, who met with the king for about two hours.
Just before departing Washington on his six-day trip trough Saudi Arabia and Europe, Obama said his director of national intelligence is reviewing the 28 classified pages from the 9/11 Commission report to see whether they can be released. Saudi officials have repeatedly said that no senior officials were involved in the attacks.
Fifteen of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudi citizens, but Saudi officials have denied any knowledge of the planning that took place in Afghanistan and elsewhere under Osama bin Laden, who led al-Qaeda at the time.
[U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia under scrutiny][U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia under scrutiny]
For both sides, the issue is yet another sign of the broader uncertainty about where an alliance built around Saudi oil and American arms is headed.For both sides, the issue is yet another sign of the broader uncertainty about where an alliance built around Saudi oil and American arms is headed.
“For many years the basic interest at the root of the U.S.-Saudi relationship was that they provided the oil that sustained the global economy and we provided essential security for the Saudi state and we really didn’t think of any other aspect of it at great length,” Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser, said in a podcast interview with former top Obama aide David Axelrod. “We just kind of thought about security and oil and we didn’t go that other layer down.” “For many years the basic interest at the root of the U.S.-Saudi relationship was that they provided the oil that sustained the global economy and we provided essential security for the Saudi state, and we really didn’t think of any other aspect of it at great length,” Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser, said in a podcast interview with former top Obama aide David Axelrod. “We just kind of thought about security and oil, and we didn’t go that other layer down.”
Rhodes, who worked on the 9/11 Commission report before his time in the White House, declined to comment on the specifics of the classified section, but spoke generally of the Saudi’s role. “A lot of the money — the seed money — for what became al-Qaeda came out of Saudi Arabia,” he said in the podcast interview. Rhodes, who worked on the 9/11 Commission report before his time in the White House, declined to comment on the specifics of the classified section, but he spoke generally of the Saudis’ role. “A lot of the money — the seed money — for what became al-Qaeda came out of Saudi Arabia,” he said in the podcast interview.
He said that before 9/11, the Saudis didn’t intervene to stop the flow of money. “Certainly there was an insufficient attention to where all this money was going over many years from the government apparatus,” he added. He said that before 9/11, the Saudis did not intervene to stop the flow of money. “Certainly there was an insufficient attention to where all this money was going over many years from the government apparatus,” he added.
The uncertainty in the U.S.-Saudi alliance has affected Washington’s relationship not only with Riyadh but all of the Gulf Arab allies, who have traditionally looked to Saudi Arabia for leadership. The uncertainty in the U.S.-Saudi alliance has affected Washington’s relationship not only with Riyadh but all of the gulf Arab allies, who have traditionally looked to Saudi Arabia for leadership.
[White House keeps distance from Saudi-Iran tensions][White House keeps distance from Saudi-Iran tensions]
For Obama, the next two days here will be part of an ongoing effort, which he’ll almost certainly pass along to his successor, to set the relationship with the Saudis on more solid ground. The two nations still share broad interests. For Obama, the next two days here will be part of an ongoing effort, which he will almost certainly pass along to his successor, to set the relationship with the Saudis on more solid ground. The two nations still share broad interests.
The Obama administration has sold the Saudis more than $95 billion in military hardware over the past several years and Saudi intelligence has been essential to the counterterrorism fight against al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. The Obama administration has sold the Saudis more than $95 billion in military hardware over the past several years, and Saudi intelligence has been essential to the counterterrorism fight against al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Obama said in an interview with CBS News this week that he expects that Iraqi forces, backed by American advisers and air power, will push the Islamic State out of Mosul, the largest city in northern Iraq, by the end of the year.Obama said in an interview with CBS News this week that he expects that Iraqi forces, backed by American advisers and air power, will push the Islamic State out of Mosul, the largest city in northern Iraq, by the end of the year.
Saudi money and relationships with the Sunni tribes in Iraq will be essential to rebuilding the city and forging a peace in northern Iraq. “Saudi Arabia and America are not getting divorced,” said Bruce Riedel, a former foreign policy adviser to Obama and senior analyst at the Brookings Institution. “We still need each other.” Saudi money and relationships with the Sunni tribes in Iraq will be essential to rebuilding the city and forging a peace in northern Iraq. “Saudi Arabia and America are not getting divorced,” said Bruce Riedel, a former foreign policy adviser to Obama and a senior analyst at the Brookings Institution. “We still need each other.”
Both sides, though, seem to want to move forward on different terms.Both sides, though, seem to want to move forward on different terms.
Obama has said he wants the Saudis and the Gulf allies play a greater role in maintaining their own security and the security of the region. Obama has said he wants the Saudis and the gulf allies play a greater role in maintaining their own security and the security of the region.
[Saudi Arabia now world’s No. 3 military spender][Saudi Arabia now world’s No. 3 military spender]
The Saudis have suggested publicly that they have become too dependent on American firepower, and both King Salman and his son, Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman, 30, have vowed to take a bolder approach to the region.The Saudis have suggested publicly that they have become too dependent on American firepower, and both King Salman and his son, Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman, 30, have vowed to take a bolder approach to the region.
The problem, though, has been one of execution.The problem, though, has been one of execution.
The Saudi air campaign in neighboring Yemen has led to hundreds of civilian casualties, shifted attention from the fight against the local al-Qaeda affiliate and failed to dislodge rebels from the capital, Sanaa. Saudi Arabia and its allies seek to restore the government ousted in early 2015 by the Houthi rebel fighters, whom Saudi leaders say are backed by Iran. The Saudi air campaign in neighboring Yemen has led to hundreds of civilian casualties, shifted attention from the fight against the local al-Qaeda affiliate and failed to dislodge rebels from the capital, Sanaa. Saudi Arabia and its allies seek to restore the government ousted in early 2015 by the Houthi rebel fighters, who Saudi leaders say are backed by Iran.
The execution of dozens of terrorism suspects, including a leading Shiite cleric earlier this year, has further inflamed sectarian tensions at a moment when the region can ill afford it.The execution of dozens of terrorism suspects, including a leading Shiite cleric earlier this year, has further inflamed sectarian tensions at a moment when the region can ill afford it.
“We want the Gulf to be more responsible for their own security affairs but we’ve seen instead this . . . very worrisome power projection from Saudi Arabia that is inflaming sectarianism,” said Frederic Wehrey, a senior associate in the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “It’s sort of like this Catch-22, where we want them to do it. But then, when they do it, they do it in ways that is both militarily ineffective and also regionally destabilizing. It’s a conundrum.” “We want the gulf to be more responsible for their own security affairs, but we’ve seen instead this . . . very worrisome power projection from Saudi Arabia that is inflaming sectarianism,” said Frederic Wehrey, a senior associate in the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “It’s sort of like this Catch-22, where we want them to do it. But then, when they do it, they do it in ways that is both militarily ineffective and also regionally destabilizing. It’s a conundrum.”
The disagreement between the two nations extends to Obama’s historic disagreement with Iran to curb its nuclear program, which the president has said will keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and prevented another American war in the Middle East. The disagreement between the two nations extends to Obama’s historic accord with Iran to curb its nuclear program, which the president has said will keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and prevent another American war in the Middle East.
“We would argue that the removal of the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran is good for the United States and the [Gulf allies],” Rhodes said. “We would argue that the removal of the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran is good for the United States and the [gulf allies],” Rhodes said.
In Saudi Arabia, the deal is considered part of a broader American pivot toward Iran — a point of view that even billions more in American arms sales, designed to protect Saudi Arabia from Iran, will not completely erase.In Saudi Arabia, the deal is considered part of a broader American pivot toward Iran — a point of view that even billions more in American arms sales, designed to protect Saudi Arabia from Iran, will not completely erase.